After sharing his story, Wright feels gratified, despite the fact that in his family's world, there was "nothing more alien than writing or the desire to express one's self in writing." In fact, I would say that that's one of the reasons he feels so gratified. Through his entire life, especially in the period of life he's in in chapters 4 and 5, he has been prevented from expressing himself. When he is in an environment where he's allowed to, hunger and poverty prevents him from doing so. At the times where physical demands have been met for the most part, he has been forced to succumb to Granny's will. Under her roof, the only written words that aren't blasphemous are found in the Bible. By jotting down his story, Wright is finally able to do something that is strictly for himself.
However, sharing it is what makes it so valuable to him. For his entire life, Wright has not been encouraged to develop his intellectual skills. He is either uprooted too quickly or is in an environment not conducive to learning. When Wright finally shares a piece of work that he made and sees that his audience is impressed, iit is the first time that he is able to really take pride in something that he has done.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Paralysis
When Wright initially learns of his mother's paralysis, he reacts coldly. He immediately understands that he can no longer be as a child anymore, and he also feels a need to distance himself from her in the event of her death. Additionally, her illness exposes to him the dependancy that he resented so much. I think that he subconsciously realized how much of a child he was at the moment that he had to surrender his childhood.
After staying at his Uncle's house for a while, Richard begs to return to his mother. However, when he gets there, he writes, "I ached to be of an age to take care of myself." It's as if longs to be free, but on a deeper level feels the bonds of family and childhood.
When treatment failed, Richard began to emotionally cut himself off from his mother. If this were of an historical account, that would likely be because he was taking protective measures for himself in case he lost her. However, he then writes that his "mother's suffering gew into a symbol...[for] all the poverty, the ignorance, the helplessness, the...hunger-ridden days...the uncertainty, the fear, the dread; the meaningless pain and the endless suffering." By removing himself from he mother, he emotionally detached himself from both his suffering and the suffering of his race that had no cause. There was no way to deny its existence, but hardening himself to it could help him bear the pain.
After staying at his Uncle's house for a while, Richard begs to return to his mother. However, when he gets there, he writes, "I ached to be of an age to take care of myself." It's as if longs to be free, but on a deeper level feels the bonds of family and childhood.
When treatment failed, Richard began to emotionally cut himself off from his mother. If this were of an historical account, that would likely be because he was taking protective measures for himself in case he lost her. However, he then writes that his "mother's suffering gew into a symbol...[for] all the poverty, the ignorance, the helplessness, the...hunger-ridden days...the uncertainty, the fear, the dread; the meaningless pain and the endless suffering." By removing himself from he mother, he emotionally detached himself from both his suffering and the suffering of his race that had no cause. There was no way to deny its existence, but hardening himself to it could help him bear the pain.
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Cultural Heritage"
Richard Wright describes his prejudice against Jews as his "cultural heritage." In Sunday School he was taught that the Jews were "Christ killers," and therefore the children were justified, sometimes even encouraged, to persecute them.
At the end of chapter 2, Wright has just begun to grasp the concept and consequences of the racial struggle. However, at the time he was learning to hate Jews, he did not yet comprehend what was really happening. The adults in his life did. Black people always saw their race being discriminated against in every aspect of life. They could find only menial jobs, and the pay was significantly less than a white person in the same position. Poverty was everywhere, as was danger. The Jew was a white man who could rank below the black man. He was hated by others, just as others hated the black man. A persecuted population will often seek out a lesser population to persecute because it will feel like things are being evened out. Wright's Granny was an extremely religious Christian, and so calling the Jews "Christ killers" could sound justified.
At the end of chapter 2, Wright has just begun to grasp the concept and consequences of the racial struggle. However, at the time he was learning to hate Jews, he did not yet comprehend what was really happening. The adults in his life did. Black people always saw their race being discriminated against in every aspect of life. They could find only menial jobs, and the pay was significantly less than a white person in the same position. Poverty was everywhere, as was danger. The Jew was a white man who could rank below the black man. He was hated by others, just as others hated the black man. A persecuted population will often seek out a lesser population to persecute because it will feel like things are being evened out. Wright's Granny was an extremely religious Christian, and so calling the Jews "Christ killers" could sound justified.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Hunger
Wright is hungry for attention. From the first chapter, it appears that he has never had a truly constructive relationship. On page 16, he writes that he associated his hunger with his father. This was directly after his father abandoned him. The hunger persisted as his mother worked long hours and could not care for her children. His need for human interaction is expressed in his exploration of saloons and bars. At first he resisted the men, knowing that he was breaking the rules, but as he drank, even as a 6-year-old, he was able to find release and affection by doing as the drunkards asked. When he learned obscene phrases from the older students at school, Wright lashed out and wrote them across the windows of the buildings around his house. Actions like these are common among children who do not get the attention they need at home;negative attention is better than none at all. It is reflected again when he associates "hunger and fear" with the orphanage. The orphanage was where he was again abandoned by his mother. Wright's hunger for a caring figure manifests itself as physical hunger. No matter how much he eats, he would be unable to quiet his gargling stomach, unless the food was given to him out of love by a trusted person.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Against School
I believe that school is a necessity for childhood development in the modern world. Gatto discusses only the factory-like mongo schools, and I found it hard to even take his argument seriously after his first couple of paragraphs. When a teacher is engaging, the students automatically become engaged. Regardless of how interested they are in a particular subject, the teacher can draw them into the lesson. If the teachers are just as bored as the students, they either need to change their curriculum or find a different job.
The historic examples of unschooled individuals may seem like a good foundation from his argument, but these were extraordinary people. Many of those whose names are now extremely well-known came from wealthy families who had time to teach their kids how to read and write. The majority of uneducated people, both then and now, spend their entire lives doing labor only to disappear from history forever.
Today, I would expect a leader to have had elementary school, high school, college, and hopefully graduate school. School is needed to provide basic understanding of basic concepts, like math and history, but also it provides a social foundation. Where would a future political leader practice his or her executive skills if he did not have an environment to work off of? A school gives him or her access to resources and presents issues that he would be able to try to solve. Even if we're talking about artists, this is true. On page 155, the quotes says that the educational system is designed to "put down dissent and originality." An artist or a writer would have resources that he or she might otherwise not be able to obtain without the school. He would not only have materials, but also influences to inspire his ideas. Peers, teachers, and books provide a constant flow of information with which a student can develop more sound opinions about issues, including dissenting theories.
Lastly, without a basic knowledge of things, nothing can ever progress. Students need to learn first year biology so that they may build upon it until they reach the intellectual glass ceiling. Until that point of knowledge is reached, a person cannot hope to discover something further. That applies to any subject, but particularly science. School gives kids a place to discover what they truly want to learn more about, helping them to make educated decisions of what they want to do with their lives.
The historic examples of unschooled individuals may seem like a good foundation from his argument, but these were extraordinary people. Many of those whose names are now extremely well-known came from wealthy families who had time to teach their kids how to read and write. The majority of uneducated people, both then and now, spend their entire lives doing labor only to disappear from history forever.
Today, I would expect a leader to have had elementary school, high school, college, and hopefully graduate school. School is needed to provide basic understanding of basic concepts, like math and history, but also it provides a social foundation. Where would a future political leader practice his or her executive skills if he did not have an environment to work off of? A school gives him or her access to resources and presents issues that he would be able to try to solve. Even if we're talking about artists, this is true. On page 155, the quotes says that the educational system is designed to "put down dissent and originality." An artist or a writer would have resources that he or she might otherwise not be able to obtain without the school. He would not only have materials, but also influences to inspire his ideas. Peers, teachers, and books provide a constant flow of information with which a student can develop more sound opinions about issues, including dissenting theories.
Lastly, without a basic knowledge of things, nothing can ever progress. Students need to learn first year biology so that they may build upon it until they reach the intellectual glass ceiling. Until that point of knowledge is reached, a person cannot hope to discover something further. That applies to any subject, but particularly science. School gives kids a place to discover what they truly want to learn more about, helping them to make educated decisions of what they want to do with their lives.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Extracurricular Education
I chose my high school based on the value of its extracurricular education programs. Yes, academics played a minor role, but I selected based on the assumption that I would be able to find a rigorous program at almost any high school. I believe that the majority of learning in grades 9-12 occurs outside of the conventional classrooms. Precalculus is important, but I think that while you're just sitting watching a teacher write stuff of the white board, you're not learning much that will be useful when you reach the real world. Even if you're an engineer and need to know a lot about math, you won't be very successful if you can't work with others or express your ideas. P.E. helps teens learn to support each other; those that are good at soccer often stop to help those that aren't. If you have to do pull-ups assisted, you really have to trust the person spotting you, and you have to communicate about how you're feeling. Art allows you to explore your creativity. Not only do you have to learn what you're feeling, but also you have to learn how to express that feeling to any stranger who walks by your painting. Clubs are valuable because they encourage learning after school hours and help in building intimate relationships and self-esteem. I value my extracurricular education because there is so much in the world outside of UHS that doesn't relate to things you can learn in a text book.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Rhetoric Presentations
Many of the pieces of rhetoric people found were interesting, but a few stood out to me. The photo of the two boys on the basketball team was something that I wouldn't have even thought to take a picture of. I guess I'm just used to seeing them wearing ties on game days because it never occurred to me that that it was a form of rhetoric. I also liked Annalee's interpretation of the window sill at our school.
Something that this project showed me was how often we are exposed to rhetoric that we don't even register as being rhetoric. The window sill is just something I sit on to do my homework, and I see the basketball team wearing ties all the time. If I'm in Carmel and I drive by a brick McDonalds, I might think, "Huh, that McDonalds is posing as a friendly place to hang out," but nothing much more.
Something that this project showed me was how often we are exposed to rhetoric that we don't even register as being rhetoric. The window sill is just something I sit on to do my homework, and I see the basketball team wearing ties all the time. If I'm in Carmel and I drive by a brick McDonalds, I might think, "Huh, that McDonalds is posing as a friendly place to hang out," but nothing much more.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Framing Class
I think that the question of whether the media mirrors or shapes society is sort of a chicken or the egg question. To appeal to its viewers, the media would have to display things that its targeted audience would accept and be comfortable with. If people didn't relate to the images being projected, they would have no interest in the product/show/whatever. However, that comfort level is not always indicative of reality. For example, professional models sell body care products. People don't generally look like models in real life, but they want to see beautiful products on TV. Maybe that product makes you beautiful like her? You should buy it and see if it does.
The same principle works for social inequality. Being rich is good, and if you have a lot of junk you will feel fulfilled because you'll have everything you'd ever want. Being poor is bad, so if we depict homeless people as inebriated losers, we'll feel better about ourselves. This is the big guys selling to an audience. We fear poverty and want to emulate celebrities, so it makes sense that the class extremes would be portrayed that way. Class depictions in the media may not consciously alter our perceptions, but I think they do help subconsciously stimulate stereotypes. In movies, the homeless guy is always a shabbily dressed black male, so when people happen to see someone who fits that description, they automatically lock their doors, even though he could just be taking his recyclables out to the curb in his pajamas. On the other end of the spectrum, all people who dress nicely could be perceived as selfish and conceited.
I do believe that watching TV leads people to rack up more credit card debt. Commercials show the sexiest brand of car they have, and when you walk in the door, you want THAT car, not that junker that's half the price. Ads encourage impulse buys: "Hm, I'm hungry. Doritos sound really good right now, but all I have in the house is celery. I'll go out and buy some Doritos." However, desire to emulate the upper classes is not a new thing. Even before the American Revolution, the "middle class" was always searching out the stuff that will make them feel richer than their neighbors. I just think that being constantly exposed to advertisements triggers this yearning more strongly.
The same principle works for social inequality. Being rich is good, and if you have a lot of junk you will feel fulfilled because you'll have everything you'd ever want. Being poor is bad, so if we depict homeless people as inebriated losers, we'll feel better about ourselves. This is the big guys selling to an audience. We fear poverty and want to emulate celebrities, so it makes sense that the class extremes would be portrayed that way. Class depictions in the media may not consciously alter our perceptions, but I think they do help subconsciously stimulate stereotypes. In movies, the homeless guy is always a shabbily dressed black male, so when people happen to see someone who fits that description, they automatically lock their doors, even though he could just be taking his recyclables out to the curb in his pajamas. On the other end of the spectrum, all people who dress nicely could be perceived as selfish and conceited.
I do believe that watching TV leads people to rack up more credit card debt. Commercials show the sexiest brand of car they have, and when you walk in the door, you want THAT car, not that junker that's half the price. Ads encourage impulse buys: "Hm, I'm hungry. Doritos sound really good right now, but all I have in the house is celery. I'll go out and buy some Doritos." However, desire to emulate the upper classes is not a new thing. Even before the American Revolution, the "middle class" was always searching out the stuff that will make them feel richer than their neighbors. I just think that being constantly exposed to advertisements triggers this yearning more strongly.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Rhetoric on the Town
My first photo is of a place called Marsh Hometown Market by my house. This used to be called LoBill. I think the area I live in is pretty nice, but I do have several friends who call my area the ghetto (ahh, private school). It's not an unsavory place, but it's no Carmel or Zionsville. Hometown Market sure sounds more welcoming than LoBill, and it also doesn't sound like it's a discount Marsh outlet (which it is). I guess this new choice of visual rhetoric worked because I see a lot more cars there than I used to.
Second, I have a Taco Bell. Just an ordinary Taco Bell right across the street from Marsh Hometown Market. I included this because everyone knows that Taco Bell is not Mexican food, and yet it still makes an attempt at looking a little Mexican on the outside. It has imitation adobe exterior in a sort of curvy shape.
After this I drove to Zionsville. There's a Burger King attached to a Village Pantry here. They've got wood slat-type things covering the outside. The signs aren't anything like the flashy neon lights you usually see on fast food and convenience stores. The Village Pantry could almost pass as a local market type thing.
Right above Tasty's Gift Shop (which I took a photo of) is a large billboard with a baby cradled in somebody's hands. The words read "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Regardless of your opinion on abortion, you will probably acknowledge that a fetus looks nothing like the baby that eventually comes out. However, fetuses aren't nearly as cute as the finished product, so whoever paid for this billboard chose a baby.
I took a few other pictures, but these are my best ones, I think.
Second, I have a Taco Bell. Just an ordinary Taco Bell right across the street from Marsh Hometown Market. I included this because everyone knows that Taco Bell is not Mexican food, and yet it still makes an attempt at looking a little Mexican on the outside. It has imitation adobe exterior in a sort of curvy shape.
After this I drove to Zionsville. There's a Burger King attached to a Village Pantry here. They've got wood slat-type things covering the outside. The signs aren't anything like the flashy neon lights you usually see on fast food and convenience stores. The Village Pantry could almost pass as a local market type thing.
Right above Tasty's Gift Shop (which I took a photo of) is a large billboard with a baby cradled in somebody's hands. The words read "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Regardless of your opinion on abortion, you will probably acknowledge that a fetus looks nothing like the baby that eventually comes out. However, fetuses aren't nearly as cute as the finished product, so whoever paid for this billboard chose a baby.
I took a few other pictures, but these are my best ones, I think.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Under the Sign of Mickey Mouse
Gitlin says that although there is incentive for companies to release their media on a global scale, it would not be able to succeed if there weren't a desire for it in other countries. He writes that American goods represent being part of an "empire of informality," but also that it's not really America that's spreading; it's just entertainment. The formulas for entertainment are universal, and people of all culture enjoy taking part in it.
However, I disagree with him. Yes, I think it's possible that many people take part in these forms of entertainment because they're just fun, but the fact that they are there is indicative of a more veteratorian idea. The only aspects of America that spread are massive corporations, which ultimately represent the loss of individuality even within American citizens. By moving in to new cultures, they risk creating a homogenous world. Diffusion of ideas across cultures is often a good thing, but with an empire like the United States, the exchange is pretty one-way. Just as Walmart drives away local business in the surrounding areas here, it does the same thing there. Sure, the movies can be fun, but I also don't think it's the place of an American giant to destroy small businesses around the world in addition to those on our own land.
However, I disagree with him. Yes, I think it's possible that many people take part in these forms of entertainment because they're just fun, but the fact that they are there is indicative of a more veteratorian idea. The only aspects of America that spread are massive corporations, which ultimately represent the loss of individuality even within American citizens. By moving in to new cultures, they risk creating a homogenous world. Diffusion of ideas across cultures is often a good thing, but with an empire like the United States, the exchange is pretty one-way. Just as Walmart drives away local business in the surrounding areas here, it does the same thing there. Sure, the movies can be fun, but I also don't think it's the place of an American giant to destroy small businesses around the world in addition to those on our own land.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Save the Words!
A friend referred me to the site SaveTheWords.org. Here, you click on words and they give you the definition. If you like the word, you adopt it. This means you have to try to use it as much as possible to prevent it from phasing out of the dictionary. For anyone who's read Feed, it's essentially what Violet's dad does. So to get the word out, so to speak, here are the latest words I've adopted lately:
Veteratorian: Subtle
Temerate: To break a bond or promise
Keleusmatically: In a demanding manner
Check out the site!
Veteratorian: Subtle
Temerate: To break a bond or promise
Keleusmatically: In a demanding manner
Check out the site!
Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt
According to Kilbourne, it is dangerous to depict women and men as sex objects because treating a human as a thing instead of an equal makes it far easier to exploit him or her. However, objectification of women is far more dangerous because "there is a context of systematic and historical oppression." Oppression of women is by no means a new concept, and allowing it to be perpetuated by the media only confirms that it still exists. Not only does it confirm it, it reinforces it. Even if on a subliminal level, women develop the notion that they are inherently submissive to men, and they are powerless in a struggle against them. Conversely, men are told that it is their place to force a woman into her proper role, and that if she denies him, she isn't really serious.
Although I mostly agree with Kilbourne, I think that she may have been reading too much into a couple of these ads. On page 432, there's an ad depicting two young girls. I could kind of see the sexual aspect, but I see equally two girls playing dress up and pretending to be models. As a little girl, I probably did that once or twice. I have the same opinion of the "Very Cherry" ad. Both my sister and I had cherry-covered dresses when we were little, and I bet if I scrounged through my sister's lip gloss drawer I could find multiple Very Cherry tubes. Yeah, cherries can represent other stuff, but to a little girl, it's just a cute fruit. For the next ad, you see toddler bums all the time. For most people, they represent youth and freedom, not sexuality. I also thought it was pretty clear that the shadow boxer was boxing with his own shadow.
Obviously many of these are offensive. The Prada ad with a looming unseen character is terrifying. Blatantly tossing a naked Kate Moss onto a couch and tying up various other girls is extremely sexual, scantily clad females begging for the attention of a man who buys their product is absurd, but using images of attacks to promote a product is outlandishly inappropriate. Although the sexualization of women in ads bothers me, actively promoting violence against women can in no way be interpreted to be a good thing. It's just... unbelievable.
Although I mostly agree with Kilbourne, I think that she may have been reading too much into a couple of these ads. On page 432, there's an ad depicting two young girls. I could kind of see the sexual aspect, but I see equally two girls playing dress up and pretending to be models. As a little girl, I probably did that once or twice. I have the same opinion of the "Very Cherry" ad. Both my sister and I had cherry-covered dresses when we were little, and I bet if I scrounged through my sister's lip gloss drawer I could find multiple Very Cherry tubes. Yeah, cherries can represent other stuff, but to a little girl, it's just a cute fruit. For the next ad, you see toddler bums all the time. For most people, they represent youth and freedom, not sexuality. I also thought it was pretty clear that the shadow boxer was boxing with his own shadow.
Obviously many of these are offensive. The Prada ad with a looming unseen character is terrifying. Blatantly tossing a naked Kate Moss onto a couch and tying up various other girls is extremely sexual, scantily clad females begging for the attention of a man who buys their product is absurd, but using images of attacks to promote a product is outlandishly inappropriate. Although the sexualization of women in ads bothers me, actively promoting violence against women can in no way be interpreted to be a good thing. It's just... unbelievable.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Why is football so boring?
"Men can take anything except the taste of diet cola...Pepsi Cola: the first diet cola for men."
Every single one of the commercials I've seen so far has been directed an men. One guy crunches a Dorito and that hot girl's clothes magically go away. Mr. Potato head gets some relief from his nagging, nit-picking wife when her mouth pops off. Check it out! If you use GoDaddy.com you can put two sexy females in a shower together.
Another observation: all football fans must love beer. Seriously, every other commercial is for beer, and all of those make sure you know one of two things. 1) Drinking this type of beer will give you super powers, or 2) Drinking this type of beer will enhance your manliness. If they don't talk about either of those, they mock men doing unmanly things. I would be lying if I said I wasn't amused by them, and they do a good job at catching the attention of their target audience, but still.
The manipulation techniques used in these ads are almost irritating. I've been reading a bunch of feminist books lately (by the way, I highly recommend Insurgent Muse by Terry Wolverton), so I've been hyper-aware of women being sexualized in the media. It seems like if a product were really that good, it wouldn't need to be supplemented by asserting manliness or depicting an either annoying or underwear-clad woman. The lack of originality is disheartening.
I'm probably also overly critical of this because I don't like watching football, so while they're playing, I'm dwelling on the ads I just saw.
Every single one of the commercials I've seen so far has been directed an men. One guy crunches a Dorito and that hot girl's clothes magically go away. Mr. Potato head gets some relief from his nagging, nit-picking wife when her mouth pops off. Check it out! If you use GoDaddy.com you can put two sexy females in a shower together.
Another observation: all football fans must love beer. Seriously, every other commercial is for beer, and all of those make sure you know one of two things. 1) Drinking this type of beer will give you super powers, or 2) Drinking this type of beer will enhance your manliness. If they don't talk about either of those, they mock men doing unmanly things. I would be lying if I said I wasn't amused by them, and they do a good job at catching the attention of their target audience, but still.
The manipulation techniques used in these ads are almost irritating. I've been reading a bunch of feminist books lately (by the way, I highly recommend Insurgent Muse by Terry Wolverton), so I've been hyper-aware of women being sexualized in the media. It seems like if a product were really that good, it wouldn't need to be supplemented by asserting manliness or depicting an either annoying or underwear-clad woman. The lack of originality is disheartening.
I'm probably also overly critical of this because I don't like watching football, so while they're playing, I'm dwelling on the ads I just saw.
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