Here is an excerpt from WSh's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Unlike Fulghum's passagem the poem 'In Which the Ancient History I Learn is Not My Own' by Eavan Boland is not very uplifting. In fact, it borders on being tragic. This is because the author, Eavan Boland, is recounting when he was an irish child in an Irish school learning only about England. The message of his poem is that if previous generations of Irish folk had set up a strong national identity and created traditions and sense of individual Irish culture, Boland's experience could have been different. He writes, 'Ireland was far away / and farther away / every year / I was nearly an English child.' It is tragic how previous generations of Irish did not take hold of their culture and identity the way the Cretans did because their inadequacy led to Irish children learning in school about not having a group to identify with. Tradition shaped culture in an unfortunately negative way in this passage."
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Europe
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"The Holocaust may have been the biggest injustice in Europe and may also have inspired the most change. While other factors were at work and many other important things came out of the Holocaust, philosophies and other moral ideas were big results as well. The response of Wiesenthal to a Nazi's request for forgiveness set a precedent for Europe and the world. Numerous authors analyzed and explicated on Wiesenthal's response in complex moral ways. For example, Henry James Caras wrote,'I am afraid not to forgive because I fear not to be forgiven. At the time of judgment, I pray for mercy rather than justice" (Wiesenthal 124). This little excerpt is simply part of a much larger theological debate that was sparked after the Holocaust and Wiesenthal's situation. Others completely disagreed with Cargas and Wiesenthal. In any case, a new European set of thinking was created out of that awful event. It posed the question asked by Dith Pran, 'Can we as humans forgive people who have caused us such grief?' (230). The answer is still not determined, but the discussion that has started has shaped Europe and the way it goes about its affairs."
"The Holocaust may have been the biggest injustice in Europe and may also have inspired the most change. While other factors were at work and many other important things came out of the Holocaust, philosophies and other moral ideas were big results as well. The response of Wiesenthal to a Nazi's request for forgiveness set a precedent for Europe and the world. Numerous authors analyzed and explicated on Wiesenthal's response in complex moral ways. For example, Henry James Caras wrote,'I am afraid not to forgive because I fear not to be forgiven. At the time of judgment, I pray for mercy rather than justice" (Wiesenthal 124). This little excerpt is simply part of a much larger theological debate that was sparked after the Holocaust and Wiesenthal's situation. Others completely disagreed with Cargas and Wiesenthal. In any case, a new European set of thinking was created out of that awful event. It posed the question asked by Dith Pran, 'Can we as humans forgive people who have caused us such grief?' (230). The answer is still not determined, but the discussion that has started has shaped Europe and the way it goes about its affairs."
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Last North America
Here is an excerpt from WSh's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Sherman Alexie uses much different strategies in 'Superman and Me' to try to reach a similar goal as Chief Seattle. He chooses to write in an optimistic tone to show hope for the future of Native Americans, especially for the learning of the young children in schools. This is smart because he should not be trying to twist his tone as Chief Seattle did but rather should be straightforward about his goals so they are understood and hopefully carried out. The major difference between 'Message to President Franklin Pierce' and 'Superman and Me' is illuminated when Alexie tries to distance himself from traditional Indian values and instead focus on didactic and educational sticking points. He writes, 'My father, who is one of the few Indians who went to Catholic school on purpose ...' and 'I learned to read with a Superman comic book.' These lines show Alexie's call for education for Native Americans overall, not necessarily through traditional and possibly obsolete traditions. Sherman distances himself from Indians by using 'we' infrequently, but he comes ;back to his roots' at the end of the paragraph when he writes about his goals of educating Native American children."
"Sherman Alexie uses much different strategies in 'Superman and Me' to try to reach a similar goal as Chief Seattle. He chooses to write in an optimistic tone to show hope for the future of Native Americans, especially for the learning of the young children in schools. This is smart because he should not be trying to twist his tone as Chief Seattle did but rather should be straightforward about his goals so they are understood and hopefully carried out. The major difference between 'Message to President Franklin Pierce' and 'Superman and Me' is illuminated when Alexie tries to distance himself from traditional Indian values and instead focus on didactic and educational sticking points. He writes, 'My father, who is one of the few Indians who went to Catholic school on purpose ...' and 'I learned to read with a Superman comic book.' These lines show Alexie's call for education for Native Americans overall, not necessarily through traditional and possibly obsolete traditions. Sherman distances himself from Indians by using 'we' infrequently, but he comes ;back to his roots' at the end of the paragraph when he writes about his goals of educating Native American children."
North America some more
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Global outlook is simply a broader sense of perspective as it relates to politics. All individuals have some sort of global outlook, especially in the modern day. Hedges, in his piece, emphasizes the idea that 'all groups looked at themselves as victims ... ignoring the excesses of their own and highlighting the excesses of [some other group]' (Hedges 923). The only way that such ideas could be brought about, as not everyone is a victim, is through government distortion on a mass scale. Propaganda of one's own people and even others causes a 'trance' from which it is difficult to leave and that causes a person to have a different view on his own and other governments than he would without this propaganda caused change in perspective: 'The effectiveness of the myths peddled in war is powerful. We often come to doubt our own perceptions. We hide these doubts, like troubled believers, sure that no one else feels like them. We feel guilty. The myths have determined not only how we should speak but how we should think' (Hedges 924)."
"Global outlook is simply a broader sense of perspective as it relates to politics. All individuals have some sort of global outlook, especially in the modern day. Hedges, in his piece, emphasizes the idea that 'all groups looked at themselves as victims ... ignoring the excesses of their own and highlighting the excesses of [some other group]' (Hedges 923). The only way that such ideas could be brought about, as not everyone is a victim, is through government distortion on a mass scale. Propaganda of one's own people and even others causes a 'trance' from which it is difficult to leave and that causes a person to have a different view on his own and other governments than he would without this propaganda caused change in perspective: 'The effectiveness of the myths peddled in war is powerful. We often come to doubt our own perceptions. We hide these doubts, like troubled believers, sure that no one else feels like them. We feel guilty. The myths have determined not only how we should speak but how we should think' (Hedges 924)."
North America again
Here is an excerpt from JD's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Fulghum's approach on the idea of perspective differs in mode of discourse and appeal. Fulghum writes in a narration. he creates two characters with very different perspectives. He characterizes a grandparents and a grandchild with different perspectives to the same situation. The two characters; interaction in the narration is how Fulghum incorporates perspectives When the grandchild speaks of death to a stranger, the two different perspectives are seen: 'Her husband was hit by a truck.' The grandfather said this to his wife when referring to why the grandchild was crying. His perspective differed from the grandchild as he found it quite funny how she worried about such absurd ideas. She, on the other hand, was very emotional. She cried because of something that didn't happen. This emotion that she shows is deliberative in Fulghum's purpose. The emotional appeal through the grandchild is pathos. This pathos is very different from friedman's ethos. This pathos is successful in eliciting emotion and pity from the audience. It causes the audience to sympathize with the author and his grandchild."
"Fulghum's approach on the idea of perspective differs in mode of discourse and appeal. Fulghum writes in a narration. he creates two characters with very different perspectives. He characterizes a grandparents and a grandchild with different perspectives to the same situation. The two characters; interaction in the narration is how Fulghum incorporates perspectives When the grandchild speaks of death to a stranger, the two different perspectives are seen: 'Her husband was hit by a truck.' The grandfather said this to his wife when referring to why the grandchild was crying. His perspective differed from the grandchild as he found it quite funny how she worried about such absurd ideas. She, on the other hand, was very emotional. She cried because of something that didn't happen. This emotion that she shows is deliberative in Fulghum's purpose. The emotional appeal through the grandchild is pathos. This pathos is very different from friedman's ethos. This pathos is successful in eliciting emotion and pity from the audience. It causes the audience to sympathize with the author and his grandchild."
North America
Here sis an excerpt from JC's paper. What are its strengths? How can he empower it?
"To begin with, in 'Message to Franklin Pierce,' two distinct perspectives can be seen. Firstly, there is Chief Seattle's perspective, that of the misunderstood and the oppressed. As Chief Seattle views it, the 'white' and 'red' man are two extremely different cultures. The 'red' man is a culture that is very much intertwined with nature. For him, the land is something akin to family, and something never to be desecrated. For Chief Seattle, nature is the soft sound they need over the loud noises of the 'white' man's cities. Chief Seattle sees the animals of the world as equal to himself, writing that '... for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to man.' Chief Seattle also sees quite ironically how his own people are viewed. In this letter he continually uses the word 'savages' speaking to the ;white' man's distorted view of the Indians and their culture. Chief Seattle though understands the 'white' man's perspective. He understands that the 'white' man looks only forward, he takes and leaves, forgetting his past along with him, as Chief Seattle wrote in 'Message to Franklin Pierce' 'for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. He leaves the father's graves, and his children's birthright forgotten ... But perhaps it is because the red man is a savage and does not understand.' Chief Seattle stands on the perspective of the misunderstood and the oppressed but also understands the position of the 'white' man quite well, as seen within the previous quote. They simply view the Indians as savages who could not possibly fathom how the 'white' man lives. In reality, the Indians are just a different culture with different values as Chief Seattle writes in 'Message to Franklin Pierce' 'the Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind darting over the face of the pond, the smell of the wind itself cleansed by a mid-day rain, or scented with the pinion pine. The air is precious to the red man.' Chief Seattle, being the author of this piece, reveals much about perspective. As Chief Seattle was able to understand both of the perspectives between differing peoples and then make an argument for his perspective. By understanding perspective, Chief Seattle gave a powerful argument for his people."
"To begin with, in 'Message to Franklin Pierce,' two distinct perspectives can be seen. Firstly, there is Chief Seattle's perspective, that of the misunderstood and the oppressed. As Chief Seattle views it, the 'white' and 'red' man are two extremely different cultures. The 'red' man is a culture that is very much intertwined with nature. For him, the land is something akin to family, and something never to be desecrated. For Chief Seattle, nature is the soft sound they need over the loud noises of the 'white' man's cities. Chief Seattle sees the animals of the world as equal to himself, writing that '... for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to man.' Chief Seattle also sees quite ironically how his own people are viewed. In this letter he continually uses the word 'savages' speaking to the ;white' man's distorted view of the Indians and their culture. Chief Seattle though understands the 'white' man's perspective. He understands that the 'white' man looks only forward, he takes and leaves, forgetting his past along with him, as Chief Seattle wrote in 'Message to Franklin Pierce' 'for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. He leaves the father's graves, and his children's birthright forgotten ... But perhaps it is because the red man is a savage and does not understand.' Chief Seattle stands on the perspective of the misunderstood and the oppressed but also understands the position of the 'white' man quite well, as seen within the previous quote. They simply view the Indians as savages who could not possibly fathom how the 'white' man lives. In reality, the Indians are just a different culture with different values as Chief Seattle writes in 'Message to Franklin Pierce' 'the Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind darting over the face of the pond, the smell of the wind itself cleansed by a mid-day rain, or scented with the pinion pine. The air is precious to the red man.' Chief Seattle, being the author of this piece, reveals much about perspective. As Chief Seattle was able to understand both of the perspectives between differing peoples and then make an argument for his perspective. By understanding perspective, Chief Seattle gave a powerful argument for his people."
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Latin America 3
Here is an excerpt from WSh's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' is a brilliant piece because it doesn't want to be one. I say that because oftentimes, especially with older poems, unclear diction and confusing syntax can lead to a puzzled reader with no grasp on the poem's message. 'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' is the polar opposite of these poems in that its diction is refreshingly simple and its message is in plain sight. The poem reads 'The scramble to be president / is one of our oldest haunts / but to eat a peaceful tortilla / is all the poor man wants.' The author uses language to make political statements by using the images of the poor man and the tortilla to show the simplicity of the desires of most Latin Americans. The author is being political in that the message of the poem is that Latin Americans do not seek to be amazed by far-reaching promises or elaborate plans by leaders; they just want to live their lives without worrying about the violence and corruption so prevalent in Latin America. 'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' sums up this stance very well and its simplistic nature is undoubtedly a welcome change for poetry readers."
"'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' is a brilliant piece because it doesn't want to be one. I say that because oftentimes, especially with older poems, unclear diction and confusing syntax can lead to a puzzled reader with no grasp on the poem's message. 'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' is the polar opposite of these poems in that its diction is refreshingly simple and its message is in plain sight. The poem reads 'The scramble to be president / is one of our oldest haunts / but to eat a peaceful tortilla / is all the poor man wants.' The author uses language to make political statements by using the images of the poor man and the tortilla to show the simplicity of the desires of most Latin Americans. The author is being political in that the message of the poem is that Latin Americans do not seek to be amazed by far-reaching promises or elaborate plans by leaders; they just want to live their lives without worrying about the violence and corruption so prevalent in Latin America. 'To Eat a Peaceful Tortilla' sums up this stance very well and its simplistic nature is undoubtedly a welcome change for poetry readers."
Latin America 3
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he improve it?
"On top of loyalty, words can be mistranslated in a way that affects their use. The little boy in Swift as Desire represents an innocent translator who causes chaos. He is not aware of words' connotations or full/double meanings which leads to mistranslations leading to unfortunate incidents between his grandmother and mother who already had enough conflicts to deal with. 'When Jubilo's grandmother gave him a message to translate, generally the words didn't coincide with what she really wanted to say' (Esquivel 17). As the boy, representing any translator, attempts to translate what is being said, he can occasionally, at no fault of his own, slip up which unfortunately leads to misunderstandings, awkwardness, and even violence. When the boy fears 'something terrible would happen' (Esquivel 20) during one of the conflicts, he mistranslates in a way that will cause massive conflict. Despite his intentions, to mistranslate, intentionally or not, will always lead to problems. From a political standpoint, it could be argued that many wars erupt over a series of slight misunderstandings, likely due to language. They are completely unnecessary and affect diplomatic relations all as a result of language."
"On top of loyalty, words can be mistranslated in a way that affects their use. The little boy in Swift as Desire represents an innocent translator who causes chaos. He is not aware of words' connotations or full/double meanings which leads to mistranslations leading to unfortunate incidents between his grandmother and mother who already had enough conflicts to deal with. 'When Jubilo's grandmother gave him a message to translate, generally the words didn't coincide with what she really wanted to say' (Esquivel 17). As the boy, representing any translator, attempts to translate what is being said, he can occasionally, at no fault of his own, slip up which unfortunately leads to misunderstandings, awkwardness, and even violence. When the boy fears 'something terrible would happen' (Esquivel 20) during one of the conflicts, he mistranslates in a way that will cause massive conflict. Despite his intentions, to mistranslate, intentionally or not, will always lead to problems. From a political standpoint, it could be argued that many wars erupt over a series of slight misunderstandings, likely due to language. They are completely unnecessary and affect diplomatic relations all as a result of language."
Monday, April 13, 2015
Even More Latin America 2
Here is an excerpt from WSh's paper. What are its strengths? How can he empower it?
"'One of these Days' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a much different piece in terms of style and purpose. As a fictitious short story, it covered a time period of only about an hour and had an appeal to ethos instead of logos. This is because it was paramount for Marquez to develop the characters of the short story first and write about their decisions, and then how they represent something on a larger scale that could be deeply political. In this piece, a poor Central American dentist displays his hatred against the town mayor for not paying 'for our twenty dead men'; and the humanity of the mayor is seen in his weakness, but ultimately it ends with a note aout the mayor's ultimate power over the dentist. 'Bent over the pitoon, sweating, panting, he unbuttoned his tunic and reached for the handkerchief in his pants pocket. The dentist gave him a clean cloth. 'Dry your tears'...' 'Send the bill, he said. 'To you or the town ...' 'It's the same ... thing.' Marquez is trying to say the mayor and in turn the town is as weak as any average human being, yet for some reason they maintain complete and utter dominance over the poor citizens of Central America. He does this by writing what seems like a small scale fictitious story and nothing more, but turns out to be a deeply political piece."
"'One of these Days' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a much different piece in terms of style and purpose. As a fictitious short story, it covered a time period of only about an hour and had an appeal to ethos instead of logos. This is because it was paramount for Marquez to develop the characters of the short story first and write about their decisions, and then how they represent something on a larger scale that could be deeply political. In this piece, a poor Central American dentist displays his hatred against the town mayor for not paying 'for our twenty dead men'; and the humanity of the mayor is seen in his weakness, but ultimately it ends with a note aout the mayor's ultimate power over the dentist. 'Bent over the pitoon, sweating, panting, he unbuttoned his tunic and reached for the handkerchief in his pants pocket. The dentist gave him a clean cloth. 'Dry your tears'...' 'Send the bill, he said. 'To you or the town ...' 'It's the same ... thing.' Marquez is trying to say the mayor and in turn the town is as weak as any average human being, yet for some reason they maintain complete and utter dominance over the poor citizens of Central America. He does this by writing what seems like a small scale fictitious story and nothing more, but turns out to be a deeply political piece."
More Latin America 2
Here is an excerpt from WSc's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"In 'One of these Days,' Garcia Marquez creates a metaphor for the Latin American people in the form of the dentist. He paints a picture of a simple man who wants to keep to himself and live his life. The man whom Garcia describes sounds like an old farmer, a worker in a rural area. He wakes early and sets to work, working hard and steadily at his job, polishing the false teeth and arranging his office. The man looks at the simple things in life, whether it will rain before lunch and looking at the birds outside of his window. His office lays plain and bare, being 'a poor office: an old wooden chair, the pedal drill, a glass case with ceramic bottles.' He cares not for what is happening in the town or what the important people are doing. He stays to himself and concentrates on his place in society. The dentist can be interpreted as the poor, a man who is different in almost every way from the upper class, which was a great portion of the common Latin American population. The mayor is also a metaphor for the upper class. The mayor comes with the need to have his infected tooth removed, and he wants it done quickly. The dentist, seemingly uninterested and apathetic towards the mayor, continues on with what he was doing, not reacting to the mayor's threats that he would shoot him if he did not do his job. He merely replies that he will come and shoot the mayor himself. The mayor resembles a foreign power, similar to the US in most situations. The foreign power comes in wanting something; the Latin American state says that they are busy and don't want America there. America threatens them; Latin America fights back, and the whole thing leads to a painful experience for America and a hostile remaining relationship."
"In 'One of these Days,' Garcia Marquez creates a metaphor for the Latin American people in the form of the dentist. He paints a picture of a simple man who wants to keep to himself and live his life. The man whom Garcia describes sounds like an old farmer, a worker in a rural area. He wakes early and sets to work, working hard and steadily at his job, polishing the false teeth and arranging his office. The man looks at the simple things in life, whether it will rain before lunch and looking at the birds outside of his window. His office lays plain and bare, being 'a poor office: an old wooden chair, the pedal drill, a glass case with ceramic bottles.' He cares not for what is happening in the town or what the important people are doing. He stays to himself and concentrates on his place in society. The dentist can be interpreted as the poor, a man who is different in almost every way from the upper class, which was a great portion of the common Latin American population. The mayor is also a metaphor for the upper class. The mayor comes with the need to have his infected tooth removed, and he wants it done quickly. The dentist, seemingly uninterested and apathetic towards the mayor, continues on with what he was doing, not reacting to the mayor's threats that he would shoot him if he did not do his job. He merely replies that he will come and shoot the mayor himself. The mayor resembles a foreign power, similar to the US in most situations. The foreign power comes in wanting something; the Latin American state says that they are busy and don't want America there. America threatens them; Latin America fights back, and the whole thing leads to a painful experience for America and a hostile remaining relationship."
Latin America 2
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How can he empower it?
"Comparisons are imperative in explaining the advantages of one thing over another. In One of these Days, the reader can recognize a stark contrast between the dentist and the mayor. The mayor is symbolic of all that is wrong with the town, as further symbolized by his aching tooth. The seemingly lazy dentist is in fact a sort of rebel with a patriotic and revolutionary vibe which reflects the attitudes of the masses in Latin America. The Good Neighbor employs a similar comparison technique though with pictures. The variety of angles from which a picture is taken and its subsequent interpretation can vary greatly. This, multiple perspectives and backgrounds of a particular photo must be compared and analyzed in order to evoke a better understanding of the situation being photographed. The analogies created by the author question what a picture truly represents such as 'free food or ration line?' (146) and 'Moscow or Masaya' (146). These discrepancies between location and the welfare of an area can have a great impact on an understanding of a situation and therefore both a fictional and nonfictional account employed comparisons to make their argument."
"Comparisons are imperative in explaining the advantages of one thing over another. In One of these Days, the reader can recognize a stark contrast between the dentist and the mayor. The mayor is symbolic of all that is wrong with the town, as further symbolized by his aching tooth. The seemingly lazy dentist is in fact a sort of rebel with a patriotic and revolutionary vibe which reflects the attitudes of the masses in Latin America. The Good Neighbor employs a similar comparison technique though with pictures. The variety of angles from which a picture is taken and its subsequent interpretation can vary greatly. This, multiple perspectives and backgrounds of a particular photo must be compared and analyzed in order to evoke a better understanding of the situation being photographed. The analogies created by the author question what a picture truly represents such as 'free food or ration line?' (146) and 'Moscow or Masaya' (146). These discrepancies between location and the welfare of an area can have a great impact on an understanding of a situation and therefore both a fictional and nonfictional account employed comparisons to make their argument."
Thursday, April 9, 2015
And Even More Latin America 1
Here is an excerpt from JD's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"The author takes a different approach but reaches the same conclusion in 'The Building of Brasilia.' Rather than approach the cultural problems of greed through emotions, the author intentionally gains the audiences' attention and achieves his purpose at the same time. By beginning his passhe with the Kubitschek's motivations and aspirations, and then closing with his remarkable accomplishments, he distracts his audience. In doing this, he can mention negative aspects of Kubitschek's reigns, criticize his flaws, while still appearing to be a supporter of his rule. His shadow is casted especially when he says 'no one denied that an astonishing feat - building an entire city - had been accomplished in under four years.' This effectively supports his purpose of appearing to build Brasilia, while actually criticizing the wealth and scandal of Kubitschek. Thus, his middle paragraph is effective in analyzing the greed aspect of Latin American culture because he masks it behind the glory of Kubitschek."
"The author takes a different approach but reaches the same conclusion in 'The Building of Brasilia.' Rather than approach the cultural problems of greed through emotions, the author intentionally gains the audiences' attention and achieves his purpose at the same time. By beginning his passhe with the Kubitschek's motivations and aspirations, and then closing with his remarkable accomplishments, he distracts his audience. In doing this, he can mention negative aspects of Kubitschek's reigns, criticize his flaws, while still appearing to be a supporter of his rule. His shadow is casted especially when he says 'no one denied that an astonishing feat - building an entire city - had been accomplished in under four years.' This effectively supports his purpose of appearing to build Brasilia, while actually criticizing the wealth and scandal of Kubitschek. Thus, his middle paragraph is effective in analyzing the greed aspect of Latin American culture because he masks it behind the glory of Kubitschek."
Even More Latin America 1
Here is an excerpt from WS's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"The Nazca Lines were a large part pf Latin American architecture in and of themselves, but later Latin America also focused their culture partly around architecture, particularly color within architectural structures. At excavation sites and still intact monuments and temples dispersed throughout Latin Americas, there is a meticulousness about the role of color that rivals the intricancy of the Nazca Lines. Regarding the Pyramid of the Niches in El Taijin, the Impact of Colour and Sound reads, '...an extraordinary impression because of the contrast of light and shadow in 365 apertures of the structure. Archaeologists report that its appearance in its prime would have been even more remarkable, for they have found traces of the dark red paint that originally coloured the interior of each niche and of the bright turquoise that bordered each one.' While the focus architecturally differs between the Nazca and later Latin America, the attention to detail and effort remains. Continuing with similarities, both the Nazca and the Aztecs, Mayans, etc focused the efforts of the architecture on giving praise to the gods. The Impact of Colour and Sound states, 'The use of coloured paints enhanced the messages of divine, dynastic, or military power represented by sacred and other ceremonial buildings. The northern shrine to Tlaloc was painted blue and white to signify his powers over water.' It is apparent that both the Aztec and eventually all of Latin America would regard architecture as a chief vehicle of furthering their religious faith both over the long term and on a daily basis."
"The Nazca Lines were a large part pf Latin American architecture in and of themselves, but later Latin America also focused their culture partly around architecture, particularly color within architectural structures. At excavation sites and still intact monuments and temples dispersed throughout Latin Americas, there is a meticulousness about the role of color that rivals the intricancy of the Nazca Lines. Regarding the Pyramid of the Niches in El Taijin, the Impact of Colour and Sound reads, '...an extraordinary impression because of the contrast of light and shadow in 365 apertures of the structure. Archaeologists report that its appearance in its prime would have been even more remarkable, for they have found traces of the dark red paint that originally coloured the interior of each niche and of the bright turquoise that bordered each one.' While the focus architecturally differs between the Nazca and later Latin America, the attention to detail and effort remains. Continuing with similarities, both the Nazca and the Aztecs, Mayans, etc focused the efforts of the architecture on giving praise to the gods. The Impact of Colour and Sound states, 'The use of coloured paints enhanced the messages of divine, dynastic, or military power represented by sacred and other ceremonial buildings. The northern shrine to Tlaloc was painted blue and white to signify his powers over water.' It is apparent that both the Aztec and eventually all of Latin America would regard architecture as a chief vehicle of furthering their religious faith both over the long term and on a daily basis."
Latin America 1
Here is an excerpt from WS's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"One half of this identity is the native culture that had thrived on the continent centuries before the Europeans came. With this culture comes a very different mindset compared to the Europeans. The natives were more in tune with nature; they were more simple minded and in sync with their immediate lives. Whereas the Europeans would come to the New World often in search of money or power, the natives were content living where they were and doing things they had done for hundreds of years. It seems that the natives had much more of a need for finding their place in the world, to communicate and explain the forces outside of their control, to truly understand the universe around them. This can be seen in the passage on the Nazca lines. These huge carvings in the earth were created to help the people try to communicate with their gods, as well as an astronomical calendar. The need to commune with whatever holy bodies there are drove them to do such amazing things like this. The need to understand the earth and find their place in the cosmos led them to create their own calendar, not some monetary goal. They could have even possibly built primitive hot air balloons and gone on the first human flight in search of this intangible goal. Money or fame did not encourage them; they only wanted to know their place in the universe."
"One half of this identity is the native culture that had thrived on the continent centuries before the Europeans came. With this culture comes a very different mindset compared to the Europeans. The natives were more in tune with nature; they were more simple minded and in sync with their immediate lives. Whereas the Europeans would come to the New World often in search of money or power, the natives were content living where they were and doing things they had done for hundreds of years. It seems that the natives had much more of a need for finding their place in the world, to communicate and explain the forces outside of their control, to truly understand the universe around them. This can be seen in the passage on the Nazca lines. These huge carvings in the earth were created to help the people try to communicate with their gods, as well as an astronomical calendar. The need to commune with whatever holy bodies there are drove them to do such amazing things like this. The need to understand the earth and find their place in the cosmos led them to create their own calendar, not some monetary goal. They could have even possibly built primitive hot air balloons and gone on the first human flight in search of this intangible goal. Money or fame did not encourage them; they only wanted to know their place in the universe."
Latin America 1
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Latin Americans' intelligence was overlooked just as much as the combination of cultures within Latin America. Simon Bolivar said, 'we are not Europeans; we are not Indians; we are but a mixed species of aborigines and Spaniards' (221), which demonstrates the idea that it is unclear who the people of Latin America are. All that is clear is that they are simply Latin American. How could anyone judge the heritage of a group of mixed people? It is not that they are bad people, but rather a union of Europeans with Indians who have now evolved into a culture that is all its own. That is a situation not very common in the world's history but it holds great importance. The history and ancestry of Latin America is very unique, which represents its diverse culture."
"Latin Americans' intelligence was overlooked just as much as the combination of cultures within Latin America. Simon Bolivar said, 'we are not Europeans; we are not Indians; we are but a mixed species of aborigines and Spaniards' (221), which demonstrates the idea that it is unclear who the people of Latin America are. All that is clear is that they are simply Latin American. How could anyone judge the heritage of a group of mixed people? It is not that they are bad people, but rather a union of Europeans with Indians who have now evolved into a culture that is all its own. That is a situation not very common in the world's history but it holds great importance. The history and ancestry of Latin America is very unique, which represents its diverse culture."
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Islands 4
Here is an excerpt from CV's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Throughout the entire world, many cultures have key similarities that connect them such as beliefs of that region. Many islands in the world have people who represent their faith by believing in great animalistic spirits that have power to change the course of their lives. People may use a pelt, feathers, or a statue to represent their most idolized deity. In the story Easter Island Art from the Enigmas of Easter Island, an example of connections between two islands is a statute that is nearly identical but in completely different places. 'An Easter Island rock carving portraying 'birdman' ... A Hawaiian rock art figure although lacking a beak, is astonishingly similar to its counterpart on Easter Island.' The belief in animals is represented by figures from Easter Island to Hawaii."
"Throughout the entire world, many cultures have key similarities that connect them such as beliefs of that region. Many islands in the world have people who represent their faith by believing in great animalistic spirits that have power to change the course of their lives. People may use a pelt, feathers, or a statue to represent their most idolized deity. In the story Easter Island Art from the Enigmas of Easter Island, an example of connections between two islands is a statute that is nearly identical but in completely different places. 'An Easter Island rock carving portraying 'birdman' ... A Hawaiian rock art figure although lacking a beak, is astonishingly similar to its counterpart on Easter Island.' The belief in animals is represented by figures from Easter Island to Hawaii."
Islands 3
Here is an excerpt from WS's paper. What are its strengths? How can he empower it?
"In the story of 'God and the Pintards,' Zora Neale Hurston uses pintards, some type of bird, to teach her lesson to the Haitians. It is important to note the contrast between cultures in this story, as when the pintards are eating up the fields and destroying the crops, tales of most all other cultures would instruct their readers to kill the pintards at all costs and prioritize their needs. However, in this Haitian tale, the pintards are too happy and exuberant to be shot, and they bring joy to those around them. Hurston writes, ;Michael came up to the tree and pointed the shotgun at the great mass of pintards crowded into the tree singing and making rhythm. But the song and the rhythm were so compelling that he forgot to pull the trigger ... Then he went to dsncing ...' Hurston is showing respect and reverence to the pintards by not killing them despite their destruction. she then teaches Haitians a lesson, using pintards as model citizens, in that she conveys the importance of happiness and joy in lives, even above work."
"In the story of 'God and the Pintards,' Zora Neale Hurston uses pintards, some type of bird, to teach her lesson to the Haitians. It is important to note the contrast between cultures in this story, as when the pintards are eating up the fields and destroying the crops, tales of most all other cultures would instruct their readers to kill the pintards at all costs and prioritize their needs. However, in this Haitian tale, the pintards are too happy and exuberant to be shot, and they bring joy to those around them. Hurston writes, ;Michael came up to the tree and pointed the shotgun at the great mass of pintards crowded into the tree singing and making rhythm. But the song and the rhythm were so compelling that he forgot to pull the trigger ... Then he went to dsncing ...' Hurston is showing respect and reverence to the pintards by not killing them despite their destruction. she then teaches Haitians a lesson, using pintards as model citizens, in that she conveys the importance of happiness and joy in lives, even above work."
Islands 2
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Repetition is a recurring technique in such animalistic stories and goes further in revealing primitive island culture. Each of the three stories has some aspect of repeating structure, dialogue, or ideas that contribute to an overall theme. In Anansi Returns, the actions of the spider are very similar and contribute to the story as a whole and make each theme and aspect of the story clearer. God and the Pintards may very well be the epitome of such repetition and God sends multiple angels to complete the same task, telling each the same thing as the pintards respond in the same way each time as well. The repetition demonstrates the power behind the pintards' simplistic - possibly because they are animals - spirits. Each angel is 'compelled' only to become 'ashamed' although even God is ultimately compelled. This cyclical pattern evolves in a way that provides evidence for island culture. It is undeniable that the basicness of repetition is not only primal but also very informative."
"Repetition is a recurring technique in such animalistic stories and goes further in revealing primitive island culture. Each of the three stories has some aspect of repeating structure, dialogue, or ideas that contribute to an overall theme. In Anansi Returns, the actions of the spider are very similar and contribute to the story as a whole and make each theme and aspect of the story clearer. God and the Pintards may very well be the epitome of such repetition and God sends multiple angels to complete the same task, telling each the same thing as the pintards respond in the same way each time as well. The repetition demonstrates the power behind the pintards' simplistic - possibly because they are animals - spirits. Each angel is 'compelled' only to become 'ashamed' although even God is ultimately compelled. This cyclical pattern evolves in a way that provides evidence for island culture. It is undeniable that the basicness of repetition is not only primal but also very informative."
Islands Synthesis
Here is an excerpt from JC's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"Animals can affect the way a peoples view themselves, such as in God and the Pintards from Tell My Horse by Zora Neale Hurston. If a culture is likened to a species of animal, is it not logical to assume then that the culture will begin to see themselves as that animal too? In God and the Pintards from Tell My Horse by Zora Neale Hurston, the Haitians are likened to Pintards: 'the Haitian people have a tremendous talent for getting themselves loved. They are drenched in kindliness and beaming out with charm. They are like the pintards of God that Dr. Reser told me about.' If the Haitians view themselves as people of song and dance and love because of being compared to pintards, then their culture is surely being affected by it. The Haitians gain a positive view of themselves because of their culture being compared to pintards. To know that even God himself couldn't kill them because of their beauty, and sent them down to earth to being happiness must boost them as a culture and promote a sense of unity among them. Animals have provided a strong cultural identity for the Haitians."
"Animals can affect the way a peoples view themselves, such as in God and the Pintards from Tell My Horse by Zora Neale Hurston. If a culture is likened to a species of animal, is it not logical to assume then that the culture will begin to see themselves as that animal too? In God and the Pintards from Tell My Horse by Zora Neale Hurston, the Haitians are likened to Pintards: 'the Haitian people have a tremendous talent for getting themselves loved. They are drenched in kindliness and beaming out with charm. They are like the pintards of God that Dr. Reser told me about.' If the Haitians view themselves as people of song and dance and love because of being compared to pintards, then their culture is surely being affected by it. The Haitians gain a positive view of themselves because of their culture being compared to pintards. To know that even God himself couldn't kill them because of their beauty, and sent them down to earth to being happiness must boost them as a culture and promote a sense of unity among them. Animals have provided a strong cultural identity for the Haitians."
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Australia Synthesis 3
Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"As colonization created a sense of passivity in Oceania, it did not play a role in the ethical beliefs that already existed. The story in 'Kill to Eat' involves an entre group of children being punished for the act of killing a bird that was only committed by one individual. Their punishment was harsh: no hunting for three months with a very limited supply of food. It must be noted that this punishment was dealt, with no questions, to the whole group of children when the supposed crime was only committed by one of them. The main character gives the reason for the punishment: 'We must all take the blame. That is the way of the Aborigine. Since we had killed for the sake of killing, the punishment was that for three months we should not hunt or use our weapons. For three months we would only eat the white man's hatred rations' (Noonuccal 11). The character's use of the collective 'we' is quite interesting in that she seems to accept the punishment with no hesitation despite her innocence. This deep set belief within her that what occurred was her fault and that her punishment was just, demonstrates how long-lasting this, quite ethical, belief of the aboriginal is. Considering that the main character's father worked for the [colonial] government ' (Noonuccal 9), it is clear that the colonizers had no effect on this innate and good (in the eyes of the westerners) value. Conflict and violence was already dying down, in this area, before the colonizers came. There was nothing they needed to do as the minds of some aboriginals were already as docile as could be."
"As colonization created a sense of passivity in Oceania, it did not play a role in the ethical beliefs that already existed. The story in 'Kill to Eat' involves an entre group of children being punished for the act of killing a bird that was only committed by one individual. Their punishment was harsh: no hunting for three months with a very limited supply of food. It must be noted that this punishment was dealt, with no questions, to the whole group of children when the supposed crime was only committed by one of them. The main character gives the reason for the punishment: 'We must all take the blame. That is the way of the Aborigine. Since we had killed for the sake of killing, the punishment was that for three months we should not hunt or use our weapons. For three months we would only eat the white man's hatred rations' (Noonuccal 11). The character's use of the collective 'we' is quite interesting in that she seems to accept the punishment with no hesitation despite her innocence. This deep set belief within her that what occurred was her fault and that her punishment was just, demonstrates how long-lasting this, quite ethical, belief of the aboriginal is. Considering that the main character's father worked for the [colonial] government ' (Noonuccal 9), it is clear that the colonizers had no effect on this innate and good (in the eyes of the westerners) value. Conflict and violence was already dying down, in this area, before the colonizers came. There was nothing they needed to do as the minds of some aboriginals were already as docile as could be."
Australia Synthesis 2
Here is an excerpt from JD's paper. What are its strengths? How can he empower it?
"The head was also important in Asaro culture. In 'The Asaro Mudmen of Papua New Guinea,' it is shown that especially in war, the Arsaros wore mud masks to conceal their identities when they raided another tribe. The masks were a sign of violence and dominance. European civilization would disrupt the violent culture surrounding the masks: 'When the missionaries came, we gave up a lot of traditions, but we held on to the tradition of the mud masks. We don't use them for killing, just for dancing.' This instance is almost the opposite of the mokomokai. The missionaries now believed that the masks were only for dancing. Even though this was peaceful, it was a loss of true indigenous culture due to the spread of religion in colonization. This now meant that the masks meant different things to different people. This was a conflict in the manner that the Europeans had a different perception of the Asaros than the Asaros had of themselves. The colonization led to an adaptation in Asaro culture."
"The head was also important in Asaro culture. In 'The Asaro Mudmen of Papua New Guinea,' it is shown that especially in war, the Arsaros wore mud masks to conceal their identities when they raided another tribe. The masks were a sign of violence and dominance. European civilization would disrupt the violent culture surrounding the masks: 'When the missionaries came, we gave up a lot of traditions, but we held on to the tradition of the mud masks. We don't use them for killing, just for dancing.' This instance is almost the opposite of the mokomokai. The missionaries now believed that the masks were only for dancing. Even though this was peaceful, it was a loss of true indigenous culture due to the spread of religion in colonization. This now meant that the masks meant different things to different people. This was a conflict in the manner that the Europeans had a different perception of the Asaros than the Asaros had of themselves. The colonization led to an adaptation in Asaro culture."
Australia Synthesis
Here is an excerpt from JC's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?
"In Coreggio Jones by Victor G Daley, cultural identity is put into questions because of colonization. Colonization can have a heavy burden on the native people, especially the view that they have of themselves. When colonists come to Aboriginal land and say that they're better while also proving it by suppressing Aboriginal people and values, it's only natural to have several Aborigines start to feel the same way. As Victor G. Daley writes in Coreggio Jones, 'Coreggio Jones an artist was, O pure Australian race, But native subjects scorned because, / They were too commonplace.' Coreggio himself thought of his homeland as something that was effectively boring. Colonization destroyed his cultural sense of identity and replaced it with a new one in their image. This creates strong conflict not only between the native Aborigines who still believe in their values but also now between the Aborigines themselves and those who stay loyal to their land and those who do not. Again as Victor G. Daley writes in Coreggio Jones, 'He will not see that our sky-hue, Old Italy's outvies, but still goes yearning for the blue, of far Ausonian skies ... He is yet painting at full bat, You'll say, if him you see, 'His body dwells on Gander Flats, His soul's in Italy.' While Coreggio is of the Aboriginal people, he at heart believes himself Italian and this is because of colonization. Colonization creates the idea of inadequacy among the native people such as the Aborigines and makes an already hard fight harder."
"In Coreggio Jones by Victor G Daley, cultural identity is put into questions because of colonization. Colonization can have a heavy burden on the native people, especially the view that they have of themselves. When colonists come to Aboriginal land and say that they're better while also proving it by suppressing Aboriginal people and values, it's only natural to have several Aborigines start to feel the same way. As Victor G. Daley writes in Coreggio Jones, 'Coreggio Jones an artist was, O pure Australian race, But native subjects scorned because, / They were too commonplace.' Coreggio himself thought of his homeland as something that was effectively boring. Colonization destroyed his cultural sense of identity and replaced it with a new one in their image. This creates strong conflict not only between the native Aborigines who still believe in their values but also now between the Aborigines themselves and those who stay loyal to their land and those who do not. Again as Victor G. Daley writes in Coreggio Jones, 'He will not see that our sky-hue, Old Italy's outvies, but still goes yearning for the blue, of far Ausonian skies ... He is yet painting at full bat, You'll say, if him you see, 'His body dwells on Gander Flats, His soul's in Italy.' While Coreggio is of the Aboriginal people, he at heart believes himself Italian and this is because of colonization. Colonization creates the idea of inadequacy among the native people such as the Aborigines and makes an already hard fight harder."
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