I am considering the poem on page 330 of the Carolina Reader, "Martin Luther King Jr.," by Gwendolyn Brooks, for my historical analysis. This poem was written in 1970, two years after the Civil Rights Movement ended and two years after Martin Luther King Jr. died. I think the timing of when this poem was written greatly affects the overall theme present. The message here is that Martin Luther King Jr.'s words and actions were so strong and so necessary that they will continue to have an effect on people even years later.
The theme is inspiration and what the inspiration of a great leader can do for people. The fact that the poem was written after Martin Luther king Jr. died and the full swing of the Civil Rights Movement was over, just proves how strong King's influence was and still is at this time.
The cultural and historical context of this poem is one filled with hard times and inequality, especially for black people. This took place in America after the Civil War when slavery had been abolished but blacks were still being treated unfairly and were fighting desperately to change this. I am somewhat familiar with these times because of history classes I have taken touching on the Civil War and Civil Rights. Unfortunately, I don't know as much as I could and will have to look deeper into this time period and the events occurring specifically at the time the poem was written as well as the time when Martin Luther King Jr. was alive.
Key words like "Justice" and "Dream" are important because of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream..." Speech and because he preached about justice and fairness. These words relate back to the historical context of the time where blacks were not considered equal. The last lines of the poem are especially important "So it shall be spoken. So it shall be done" because they show the confidence the author has in King's words and the idea that his dreams and goals will continue to be carried out even though he is gone.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Themes
"No Name Woman"
I think the main theme of this story is collectivism and the effects of the pressures accompanying this societal idea. This woman became a "ghost" in her own family, her own village, and even in her own mind due to the peer pressure that she felt and had to endure. Her village and family looked at her as a disgrace and would treat her like one forever. They stormed her house and destroyed her belongings all because she had strayed from the cultural boundaries that these people base their lives on. She had gotten pregnant by a man who was not her husband and as if this would be hard enough to deal with on her own, she had no one to turn to and no one that would even look at her. She would have to go on living with these people who treated her as if she was not there and should not be there. This is where the roles of setting and point of view come into play.
This story took place in China, which is known for its collectivist ideas. It is a place where people are taught to sacrifice for the good of the group and to give up individual wants or selfish desires in order to benefit the society as a whole. The way this society is, and the way this particular village is, is what drove the people to attack her house and treat this woman as a ghost. The village was in need of food and this added to the already strict ideas that China enforces. Because she had a child who should not have been born, she would be taking food from a child who should have been, and this was not accepted. The timing of this story just made it all the worse for this woman.
The point of view from which this story is told also creates an interesting impact relating to the theme. The niece of this "no name woman" is narrating the story when she is an adult herself. She is looking back on how her mother recalled this story to her as a child. Her mother spoke to her of this event only as a warning to show what could happen if the girl was not careful. She spoke of this woman as a disgraceful, tainted woman and because the narrator was young when she heard the story, her mother's words influenced her. She did not even care to try to hear more about this woman because her mother said she should not be spoken of. This young girl was brought up by her mother with similar collectivist ideas and so she was trained to believe that this "no name woman" was the disgrace her mother described. However, as an adult narrating this memory, she has come up with some of her own ideas. She lives in America now, where collectivism is certainly not a strong societal theme. She has lived and experienced a completely different world filled with people who have completely different ideas on matters of life. This changed her opinion of her unspoken aunt and led her to write about her, despite the fact that she was never supposed to repeat the story. These different points of views and changes in settings are connected in creating this theme of collectivism, but also create an underlying theme of different societal values, not just collectivism.
"Becky"
The central theme that can be found in this story is fear of difference or defiant change. The people in this story, both black and white, were united in this fear of a woman who had strayed from the social norm and had twice committed such an act. She was a white woman who dared to have two sons of a black man. The time this story was written was 1923, which was not a time when interracial relationships was tolerated. This story takes place in an area with both black and white inhabitants, but neither race connected or associated with each other. They both had very similar ideas about how they felt about Becky though, and dealt with her presence in the same way. "Folks from the town took turns, unknown, of course, to each other, in bringing corn and meat and sweet potatoes." They both provided a place for Becky to live without fully acknowledging that she did in fact reside there, but they would never speak of who provided her with these means. The people in this story all had the same fear which stems from the time and place in which they lived. The idea of mixing races was unheard of, unspoken, and unacceptable. This fact was true for both races. The fact that the narrator's race is not revealed is important in this story, because this again shows, how similarly the two races' reactions were. It would not have mattered if this narrator was black or white because the narrator still provided the reader with the specific words and behaviors of both the white people and black people in the town when they were dealing with Becky. Also, it is told from the person in the story who actually saw Becky's house collapsed. This narrator actually was able to describe his fear at this very moment. This fear of Becky was really just a fear of what she represented- defiance, change, nonacceptance of societal norms and beliefs.
I think the main theme of this story is collectivism and the effects of the pressures accompanying this societal idea. This woman became a "ghost" in her own family, her own village, and even in her own mind due to the peer pressure that she felt and had to endure. Her village and family looked at her as a disgrace and would treat her like one forever. They stormed her house and destroyed her belongings all because she had strayed from the cultural boundaries that these people base their lives on. She had gotten pregnant by a man who was not her husband and as if this would be hard enough to deal with on her own, she had no one to turn to and no one that would even look at her. She would have to go on living with these people who treated her as if she was not there and should not be there. This is where the roles of setting and point of view come into play.
This story took place in China, which is known for its collectivist ideas. It is a place where people are taught to sacrifice for the good of the group and to give up individual wants or selfish desires in order to benefit the society as a whole. The way this society is, and the way this particular village is, is what drove the people to attack her house and treat this woman as a ghost. The village was in need of food and this added to the already strict ideas that China enforces. Because she had a child who should not have been born, she would be taking food from a child who should have been, and this was not accepted. The timing of this story just made it all the worse for this woman.
The point of view from which this story is told also creates an interesting impact relating to the theme. The niece of this "no name woman" is narrating the story when she is an adult herself. She is looking back on how her mother recalled this story to her as a child. Her mother spoke to her of this event only as a warning to show what could happen if the girl was not careful. She spoke of this woman as a disgraceful, tainted woman and because the narrator was young when she heard the story, her mother's words influenced her. She did not even care to try to hear more about this woman because her mother said she should not be spoken of. This young girl was brought up by her mother with similar collectivist ideas and so she was trained to believe that this "no name woman" was the disgrace her mother described. However, as an adult narrating this memory, she has come up with some of her own ideas. She lives in America now, where collectivism is certainly not a strong societal theme. She has lived and experienced a completely different world filled with people who have completely different ideas on matters of life. This changed her opinion of her unspoken aunt and led her to write about her, despite the fact that she was never supposed to repeat the story. These different points of views and changes in settings are connected in creating this theme of collectivism, but also create an underlying theme of different societal values, not just collectivism.
"Becky"
The central theme that can be found in this story is fear of difference or defiant change. The people in this story, both black and white, were united in this fear of a woman who had strayed from the social norm and had twice committed such an act. She was a white woman who dared to have two sons of a black man. The time this story was written was 1923, which was not a time when interracial relationships was tolerated. This story takes place in an area with both black and white inhabitants, but neither race connected or associated with each other. They both had very similar ideas about how they felt about Becky though, and dealt with her presence in the same way. "Folks from the town took turns, unknown, of course, to each other, in bringing corn and meat and sweet potatoes." They both provided a place for Becky to live without fully acknowledging that she did in fact reside there, but they would never speak of who provided her with these means. The people in this story all had the same fear which stems from the time and place in which they lived. The idea of mixing races was unheard of, unspoken, and unacceptable. This fact was true for both races. The fact that the narrator's race is not revealed is important in this story, because this again shows, how similarly the two races' reactions were. It would not have mattered if this narrator was black or white because the narrator still provided the reader with the specific words and behaviors of both the white people and black people in the town when they were dealing with Becky. Also, it is told from the person in the story who actually saw Becky's house collapsed. This narrator actually was able to describe his fear at this very moment. This fear of Becky was really just a fear of what she represented- defiance, change, nonacceptance of societal norms and beliefs.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Readings for 3/25
How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie
This is an extremely prejudiced story. It is filled with racial stereotypes. This young boy thinks he knows every girl so well just by their race or background, that he feels he can even predict their exact words in a conversation he would have with them. He plans out all his actions accordingly for what color the girl is that he is meeting.
Battle Royal
I found this poem to be both strange and repulsive. It is disgusting to envision how these men were treated in this story and how they felt the need to just go along with it all. The author of this story went through all the torture the men put him through just to try to gain their respect, which would never happen. He thought the whole time, of his speech, and how he would look during it. I couldn't believe how none of them would work together- how they all just felt that they had to do what these men told them. They fought each other and laughed "embarrassedly" as they were being electrocuted and shocked. They did all that for money that was not even of real value. The narrator tried to get his opponent to end the fight by offering him more money, yet he could just as well have fallen down and ended it, but he wanted to win, to prove himself. The narrator humiliated himself in front of the men while giving his speech and did not even realize it. He just felt he had to prove himself worthy to these people. And for what? he got his education and broke his grandfather's curse, which he completely misinterpreted.
No Name Woman
This story, as well, shows how brutally people who are different or who are considered disgraceful to one's society can be treated, even by their own race or village. This story focused on some very interesting elements of Chinese culture- like the no-speaking rule at meals and the way the women have to fix their hair. It is terrible that there is such an image that has to be fulfilled so precisely in order to be accepted. One of the worst parts of this story that I found was the fact that the Aunt finally decided to kill her baby for the sole reason that it would not have a name. It would not know its history or heritage, so it would be haunted forever. This shows how terribly important something like a name is for this culture, and that no one ever said her name again also emphasizes this. It is terrible that a woman who made a mistake, or maybe was forced into making one had to be treated this way.
Becky
This was an interesting story in that it shows how fearful people are of abnormality. This old woman terrified the townspeople just because she was different. People would not go near her house or even believe that she still lived, all because they could not bring themselves to accept someone like her. I liked this strength that Becky held over them. She did stay isolated, like they wanted, but she scared the people into giving her food and things that probably allowed her and her kids to survive. Her two boys made a statement when they left, and so did she, when she died, crumpled beneath the bricks of a fireplace believed to be haunted. She made a statement by having a second black child, which showed that she did not regret her actions and would not give in to the public's jeering.
America
I thought that was a strange way of describing this country, especially after how big and powerful it became in such a short time. However, the line "I love this cultured hell that tests my youth" reveals that the author does have passion for this country. The following lines suggest that the author is thinking of the potential that America holds in becoming very large and strong and unbroken by time. This shows the author's belief that America has promise and is worth standing for.
If We Must Die
I like this poem. I found it to be very powerful. The author is very strong and shows no fear, only resilience and determination. He is saying that they know they have to die, so they might as well die fighting, die trying to provide opportunity for others, and die trying to make a difference and a statement. This is very noble and courageous and causes me to respect the narrator.
This is an extremely prejudiced story. It is filled with racial stereotypes. This young boy thinks he knows every girl so well just by their race or background, that he feels he can even predict their exact words in a conversation he would have with them. He plans out all his actions accordingly for what color the girl is that he is meeting.
Battle Royal
I found this poem to be both strange and repulsive. It is disgusting to envision how these men were treated in this story and how they felt the need to just go along with it all. The author of this story went through all the torture the men put him through just to try to gain their respect, which would never happen. He thought the whole time, of his speech, and how he would look during it. I couldn't believe how none of them would work together- how they all just felt that they had to do what these men told them. They fought each other and laughed "embarrassedly" as they were being electrocuted and shocked. They did all that for money that was not even of real value. The narrator tried to get his opponent to end the fight by offering him more money, yet he could just as well have fallen down and ended it, but he wanted to win, to prove himself. The narrator humiliated himself in front of the men while giving his speech and did not even realize it. He just felt he had to prove himself worthy to these people. And for what? he got his education and broke his grandfather's curse, which he completely misinterpreted.
No Name Woman
This story, as well, shows how brutally people who are different or who are considered disgraceful to one's society can be treated, even by their own race or village. This story focused on some very interesting elements of Chinese culture- like the no-speaking rule at meals and the way the women have to fix their hair. It is terrible that there is such an image that has to be fulfilled so precisely in order to be accepted. One of the worst parts of this story that I found was the fact that the Aunt finally decided to kill her baby for the sole reason that it would not have a name. It would not know its history or heritage, so it would be haunted forever. This shows how terribly important something like a name is for this culture, and that no one ever said her name again also emphasizes this. It is terrible that a woman who made a mistake, or maybe was forced into making one had to be treated this way.
Becky
This was an interesting story in that it shows how fearful people are of abnormality. This old woman terrified the townspeople just because she was different. People would not go near her house or even believe that she still lived, all because they could not bring themselves to accept someone like her. I liked this strength that Becky held over them. She did stay isolated, like they wanted, but she scared the people into giving her food and things that probably allowed her and her kids to survive. Her two boys made a statement when they left, and so did she, when she died, crumpled beneath the bricks of a fireplace believed to be haunted. She made a statement by having a second black child, which showed that she did not regret her actions and would not give in to the public's jeering.
America
I thought that was a strange way of describing this country, especially after how big and powerful it became in such a short time. However, the line "I love this cultured hell that tests my youth" reveals that the author does have passion for this country. The following lines suggest that the author is thinking of the potential that America holds in becoming very large and strong and unbroken by time. This shows the author's belief that America has promise and is worth standing for.
If We Must Die
I like this poem. I found it to be very powerful. The author is very strong and shows no fear, only resilience and determination. He is saying that they know they have to die, so they might as well die fighting, die trying to provide opportunity for others, and die trying to make a difference and a statement. This is very noble and courageous and causes me to respect the narrator.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Class freewrite
I.
a)
- war- red, bloody, loud noises, gunshots, shouting, dirt, mud, weapons, death, struggle, wounds
- gunner- green/brown (fatiques), sneaky, waiting, confident, focused, steady
- attack- loud, sudden, gruesome, bloody, red, sweat, dirt, pain
b) long, atomic bomb, destructive, life-changing/ world-changing, debt
II.
I still don't fully understand the first line of this poem. Seeing the ball turrets, however, did give me a much better visual. I understand now how the author would desribe him as "hunched" and "six miles from earth." He must feel so alone back there all cramped and by himself in such a small little compartment. He must have felt so helpless too, being stuck in that little ball while he was being fired at. The last line of the poem is very striking and now I can see why this would be necessary because of the little space he had inside the turret.
Randall Jarrel enlisted in the US Army Air Corps but failed to fly. He then worked as a control tower operator instead. After having a very successful teaching career at many different schools in the nation, he was hit by a car and died. He had been treated for mental illness and a previous suicide attempt prior to his sudden death.
This information is interesting because when I was reading the poem the first time, I figured it must have been produced by someone who was very familiar with having been in a ball turret and would know what it really felt like. However, Jarrel never made it in the Air Corps, so he does not have the inside background that I had expected from such a unique poem's author.
I don't think that the personal information about Jarrel would really help me write about this poem. I don't think it gives me any more incite to what the poem is actually about at all. I think the information on the ball turret and historical background would help a lot more.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Comments on Readings for 3/20/08
p.147-154
I agree that there are no "absolute truths" in history. I can see why this passage says that we have to be careful to research very thoroughly in order to provide enough evidence to prove or disprove a claim. It is precisely that reason, though, that I do not think we can ever disprove or prove something written just based on more historical writing. Maybe the majority of people working as slave laborers in Nazi camps did not suffer a great deal, but maybe one particular person who wrote a story did suffer. We would never know this about that one specific person just based on what we could find in historical documents. I am not a big fan of history because we never actually know what is accurate and what is not, so I do not think I will like reading passages that we have to research and put a lot of historical background into to understand.
For me, just reading the White House raises questions not of historical context, but of what the writer is feeling. I have never really liked analyzing poetry because I think it takes the beauty away from it and often times even though people think they have found the "hidden meaning", it really may not even be close to what the writer was really thinking or feeling at the time. I think if we really had to know the historical background behind a poem or story, the author should provide the information we know with it, rather than have to research it on our own.
p.11-20
"The Holocaust Party" was an interesting story. I found it amusing that up until the part about Jews having thin blood, the narrator actually believed the story. I do not think there is any need to even research any historical data in order to tell that this story was fake. The narrator says it as well. I don't see how actually having historical information on the Holocaust would enhance the meaning of this story at all.
p.404
"The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a depressing short poem. I feel bad for the man just by the way he says "when I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose." I do not really have any historical background as to what this poem is about, yet I still get an effect from it. It may change my opinion or feeling toward the poem if I was given more information besides what the footnote tells me. But, from that i can tell that this man was extremely brave and the way the poem makes it so that we are hearing the man who died retell his own death gives it a very unique effect.
I agree that there are no "absolute truths" in history. I can see why this passage says that we have to be careful to research very thoroughly in order to provide enough evidence to prove or disprove a claim. It is precisely that reason, though, that I do not think we can ever disprove or prove something written just based on more historical writing. Maybe the majority of people working as slave laborers in Nazi camps did not suffer a great deal, but maybe one particular person who wrote a story did suffer. We would never know this about that one specific person just based on what we could find in historical documents. I am not a big fan of history because we never actually know what is accurate and what is not, so I do not think I will like reading passages that we have to research and put a lot of historical background into to understand.
For me, just reading the White House raises questions not of historical context, but of what the writer is feeling. I have never really liked analyzing poetry because I think it takes the beauty away from it and often times even though people think they have found the "hidden meaning", it really may not even be close to what the writer was really thinking or feeling at the time. I think if we really had to know the historical background behind a poem or story, the author should provide the information we know with it, rather than have to research it on our own.
p.11-20
"The Holocaust Party" was an interesting story. I found it amusing that up until the part about Jews having thin blood, the narrator actually believed the story. I do not think there is any need to even research any historical data in order to tell that this story was fake. The narrator says it as well. I don't see how actually having historical information on the Holocaust would enhance the meaning of this story at all.
p.404
"The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a depressing short poem. I feel bad for the man just by the way he says "when I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose." I do not really have any historical background as to what this poem is about, yet I still get an effect from it. It may change my opinion or feeling toward the poem if I was given more information besides what the footnote tells me. But, from that i can tell that this man was extremely brave and the way the poem makes it so that we are hearing the man who died retell his own death gives it a very unique effect.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Readings for 3/18
p.100
I think it is true that culture has a great deal to do with fully understanding many texts. What I occurring in the world or where the author is in the world or where he/she is writing about can give the piece of text a whole new perspective. I have read passages before where we were not told the race of the author or the gender and I had a whole different view of the meaning of the piece then when I reread it knowing those pieces of information. Where and when something is happening can completely change the message behind the writing.
p.327
The poem, The Soldier, was written in 1915. This tiny piece of information allows the reader to realize that the soldier of this poem was most likely fighting in the Great War. Just knowing which particular war this soldier is referring to as he writes so passionately is an important detail because it allows the reader to picture this young man. We can research that war and actually get a feel for what this soldier was heading into. Knowing who he was fighting with and against as well as the reason for the particular war being written about can provide a much clearer image of this man and the reason behind his emotions.
p. 429
Again, this poem takes place during World War I as well, at least that is if 1917 is the correct year it was written. The fact that there is a question mark following the date makes me wonder if someone interpreted this poem's descriptions and words and assumed it was about the Great War. This interests me because that is showing how knowing just a simple cultural fact like when the piece was written can give someone a new perspective. Perhaps this poem was written about a different war. Maybe that would change whoever came up with this date's mind about the whole poem.
p.430
I looked up "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" and found the translation "It is a sweet and glorious thing to die for one's country." This poem was very sad and really made me visualize a war with poison gas and people dying. I liked how preceding the last line are the words "To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie." It shows how all the old people know it is not a sweet or glorious thing to die the sort of way people do in wars, yet they continue to tell the young kids that it is because that is what they need to hear. These kids are still naive and innocent and dream to be war heroes, without really knowing what it is like and how traumatic the experience actually is. I think the fact that we don't know who the men are fighting for in this poem makes the effect even better. All wars are brutal, no matter what side one is fighting for. They all experience this kind of violence and emotional torture.
p.445
Again, this poem was written about World War I and mentions both British troops as well as a German mother whose son's face "is trodden [deep] in the mud." This provides us with some cultural background again. It gives us some historical information so that in order to get the full effect of this poem, one is able to research the different sides of the war taking place in 1918 and can get different perspectives. I thought the image of the mother knitting socks for her son who will no longer need them was a sad one and was a strong line to end the poem on to illustrate the death and sadness of war despite all the glory and attention people give to their war heroes.
I think it is true that culture has a great deal to do with fully understanding many texts. What I occurring in the world or where the author is in the world or where he/she is writing about can give the piece of text a whole new perspective. I have read passages before where we were not told the race of the author or the gender and I had a whole different view of the meaning of the piece then when I reread it knowing those pieces of information. Where and when something is happening can completely change the message behind the writing.
p.327
The poem, The Soldier, was written in 1915. This tiny piece of information allows the reader to realize that the soldier of this poem was most likely fighting in the Great War. Just knowing which particular war this soldier is referring to as he writes so passionately is an important detail because it allows the reader to picture this young man. We can research that war and actually get a feel for what this soldier was heading into. Knowing who he was fighting with and against as well as the reason for the particular war being written about can provide a much clearer image of this man and the reason behind his emotions.
p. 429
Again, this poem takes place during World War I as well, at least that is if 1917 is the correct year it was written. The fact that there is a question mark following the date makes me wonder if someone interpreted this poem's descriptions and words and assumed it was about the Great War. This interests me because that is showing how knowing just a simple cultural fact like when the piece was written can give someone a new perspective. Perhaps this poem was written about a different war. Maybe that would change whoever came up with this date's mind about the whole poem.
p.430
I looked up "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" and found the translation "It is a sweet and glorious thing to die for one's country." This poem was very sad and really made me visualize a war with poison gas and people dying. I liked how preceding the last line are the words "To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie." It shows how all the old people know it is not a sweet or glorious thing to die the sort of way people do in wars, yet they continue to tell the young kids that it is because that is what they need to hear. These kids are still naive and innocent and dream to be war heroes, without really knowing what it is like and how traumatic the experience actually is. I think the fact that we don't know who the men are fighting for in this poem makes the effect even better. All wars are brutal, no matter what side one is fighting for. They all experience this kind of violence and emotional torture.
p.445
Again, this poem was written about World War I and mentions both British troops as well as a German mother whose son's face "is trodden [deep] in the mud." This provides us with some cultural background again. It gives us some historical information so that in order to get the full effect of this poem, one is able to research the different sides of the war taking place in 1918 and can get different perspectives. I thought the image of the mother knitting socks for her son who will no longer need them was a sad one and was a strong line to end the poem on to illustrate the death and sadness of war despite all the glory and attention people give to their war heroes.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Paper
1.) Did I focus enough on my pillow as opposed to other pillows?
2.) Do I need to describe my pillow in more detail?
3.) Did the order of everything work?
2.) Do I need to describe my pillow in more detail?
3.) Did the order of everything work?
Poster
The imperative message of my poster is to diet and go about losing weight in a healthy way and do not mistake anorexia as a solution for weight loss because it is actually a very serious disease.
I chose this issue because I think it is something that everyone needs to be more aware of. I know of actually several people who have had anorexia or some kind of eating disorder and I have seen what it can do to those people and what drove those people to become anorexic. It is a much more serious matter than I think a lot of people realize and awareness may help prevent it. I want to become a personal trainer so I am very pro-health and I love fitness and helping people try to find healthy ways to get in shape. Seeing people go about this is in such a bad manner concerns me and I would like to do something about it.
I chose very gruesome pictures purposely to reveal the dangers of anorexia and not eating. Some people think it is okay to not eat and will do whatever that takes to become skinny. People see these skinny beautiful models and want to look like them, but they do not realize how sever it can really become. I hoped these pictures and the message of "Do not feed the model" would really open people's eyes. I chose dark lettering and I was kind of harsh in saying that when you are dieting you are still supposed to be eating. I wanted this to be blunt and to the point because people need reality checks about how to lose weight without destroying their bodies.
I would obviously make this poster a lot bigger and show very sharp images that enhance the details of the skinniness of the women in the pictures and how awful they actually look. The details of seeing all of one women's ribcage and the bones in the other women is very important for getting my point across. I do realize, however, that this poster could be rather offensive to some people and it would not be able to go anywhere. I would suggest putting it in teen magazines or fashion magazines as a preventive measure and to show awareness because this is the audience I would be trying to target most specifically - young women who want to be skinny ,try to look perfect all the time, and who are easily influenced. Maybe they will be influenced by this ad instead.
I chose this issue because I think it is something that everyone needs to be more aware of. I know of actually several people who have had anorexia or some kind of eating disorder and I have seen what it can do to those people and what drove those people to become anorexic. It is a much more serious matter than I think a lot of people realize and awareness may help prevent it. I want to become a personal trainer so I am very pro-health and I love fitness and helping people try to find healthy ways to get in shape. Seeing people go about this is in such a bad manner concerns me and I would like to do something about it.
I chose very gruesome pictures purposely to reveal the dangers of anorexia and not eating. Some people think it is okay to not eat and will do whatever that takes to become skinny. People see these skinny beautiful models and want to look like them, but they do not realize how sever it can really become. I hoped these pictures and the message of "Do not feed the model" would really open people's eyes. I chose dark lettering and I was kind of harsh in saying that when you are dieting you are still supposed to be eating. I wanted this to be blunt and to the point because people need reality checks about how to lose weight without destroying their bodies.
I would obviously make this poster a lot bigger and show very sharp images that enhance the details of the skinniness of the women in the pictures and how awful they actually look. The details of seeing all of one women's ribcage and the bones in the other women is very important for getting my point across. I do realize, however, that this poster could be rather offensive to some people and it would not be able to go anywhere. I would suggest putting it in teen magazines or fashion magazines as a preventive measure and to show awareness because this is the audience I would be trying to target most specifically - young women who want to be skinny ,try to look perfect all the time, and who are easily influenced. Maybe they will be influenced by this ad instead.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
SWA #5
1.) I have chosen the pillow as my text.
2.) The pillow’s main purpose is to comfort and provide a comfortable sleeping or resting surface.
3.) Examining the pillow more closely, one can find many purposes that the pillow serves which may be taken for granted in every day life. Pillows can be used to relieve stress, elevate, cushion, and support. If one looks very closely at the type, style, or number of pillows a person chooses, it may even tell something about that person and, particularly, what kind of sleeper they are.
4.) The features I will mainly be focusing on include the simplicity of the pillow, the way it is made and the different types of designs that can be found. When I analyze each of these features, I am hoping to find that the different kinds of pillows, like fluffy ones or firm ones, will lead to a discovery of much more than just that of the make of the pillow. I intend to show that a lot of times, the specific kind of pillow, color, or size, actually tell a lot about what kind of sleeper a person is or what one looks for when they think of sleep.
5.) The designer does not necessarily go for looks all that much in a pillow because pillows are intended to be covered. The designer can, however, focus on the inside of the pillow. Since the pillow’s main job is to provide comfort, the inside must be filled with the right amount of hard and soft material to make the pillow comfortable. Also, it can have down feathers, or cotton, or a number of different materials that one may prefer. Designers want the pillow to seem comfortable just by the way it is puffed up or squishes in when one touches it. Feel is a very important aspect of this form of design. The way a pillow is sold can also provide an image of softness or comfort. For instance, if it has a picture of a person sleeping peacefully, it may attract the consumer. Size also matters when it comes to choosing a pillow. There are many different sized pillows, made for different purposes. But, I would say touch is the most important aspect because regardless of the size or the picture on the front, the buyer will most likely press on the pillow or lay one’s head on it to test it and decide if it is right for them. However, name brands like Tempur-Pedic have become popular, and may sway someone into choosing their product over another. But, they have become so famous because of the uniqueness of their pillows. Their pillows are made of different material than a lot of regular pillows, and they are said to mold to one’s head. This strategy of providing consumers with a new and different kind of pillow is just another way designers try to attract pillow buyers.
6.) The audience is just about everyone for this particular text. Just about everyone in America has at least one pillow or has slept on one at one time. This is the audience the pillow is aiming at- everyone who wants to sleep well- which makes up just about the entire population. I fit into this category as a busy student and tired kid who wants to lay down and have a good night’s sleep every night. I look to my pillow to provide me with this, as do most people.
Thesis: Upon deeper analysis, the pillow, in all its simplicity, provides much more than it is given credit for, including stress relief and fung-shui, as well as an idea as to what kind of sleeper each pillow owner is and how this basic object can affect people every day and every night.
2.) The pillow’s main purpose is to comfort and provide a comfortable sleeping or resting surface.
3.) Examining the pillow more closely, one can find many purposes that the pillow serves which may be taken for granted in every day life. Pillows can be used to relieve stress, elevate, cushion, and support. If one looks very closely at the type, style, or number of pillows a person chooses, it may even tell something about that person and, particularly, what kind of sleeper they are.
4.) The features I will mainly be focusing on include the simplicity of the pillow, the way it is made and the different types of designs that can be found. When I analyze each of these features, I am hoping to find that the different kinds of pillows, like fluffy ones or firm ones, will lead to a discovery of much more than just that of the make of the pillow. I intend to show that a lot of times, the specific kind of pillow, color, or size, actually tell a lot about what kind of sleeper a person is or what one looks for when they think of sleep.
5.) The designer does not necessarily go for looks all that much in a pillow because pillows are intended to be covered. The designer can, however, focus on the inside of the pillow. Since the pillow’s main job is to provide comfort, the inside must be filled with the right amount of hard and soft material to make the pillow comfortable. Also, it can have down feathers, or cotton, or a number of different materials that one may prefer. Designers want the pillow to seem comfortable just by the way it is puffed up or squishes in when one touches it. Feel is a very important aspect of this form of design. The way a pillow is sold can also provide an image of softness or comfort. For instance, if it has a picture of a person sleeping peacefully, it may attract the consumer. Size also matters when it comes to choosing a pillow. There are many different sized pillows, made for different purposes. But, I would say touch is the most important aspect because regardless of the size or the picture on the front, the buyer will most likely press on the pillow or lay one’s head on it to test it and decide if it is right for them. However, name brands like Tempur-Pedic have become popular, and may sway someone into choosing their product over another. But, they have become so famous because of the uniqueness of their pillows. Their pillows are made of different material than a lot of regular pillows, and they are said to mold to one’s head. This strategy of providing consumers with a new and different kind of pillow is just another way designers try to attract pillow buyers.
6.) The audience is just about everyone for this particular text. Just about everyone in America has at least one pillow or has slept on one at one time. This is the audience the pillow is aiming at- everyone who wants to sleep well- which makes up just about the entire population. I fit into this category as a busy student and tired kid who wants to lay down and have a good night’s sleep every night. I look to my pillow to provide me with this, as do most people.
Thesis: Upon deeper analysis, the pillow, in all its simplicity, provides much more than it is given credit for, including stress relief and fung-shui, as well as an idea as to what kind of sleeper each pillow owner is and how this basic object can affect people every day and every night.
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