Monday, May 5, 2014
Stories, Repositories, and Folklore
Aghan Odero Agan brings up a very interesting a very interesting point, demonstrating his keen awareness of the subtleties of folklore: What does folklore mean in a culture of people who are constantly struggling to find their own identities, their own purpose, their own roots? As a medium so intimately tied in with people's mindsets, cultures, and experiences, how does folklore function for people who may not be so sure of the "big picture?" The folklore serves as a form of entertainment, helping entire African communities to get together, just like the chant he encouraged the audience to mimic at the beginning of the talk. He then goes on to say that the role of performers in African cultures is to present the purpose of living in a way that will help specific communities to identify and distinguish themselves.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Matthew Rosenthal
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
The idea of closure in a graphic novel interested me. From my understanding, closure is how the spaces between panels of a comic are interpreted to give an implicit (and sometimes explicit) meaning to the images that were scene. The example that William Bradley gives is how, if you see batman reaching for his utility belt, a batarang flying through the air, and the Riddler being crippled by the batarang, you will naturally assume that batman threw the batarang at the Riddler to defeat him. Bradley is especially interested in the way that Bechdel uses closure to allow the reader to gain insight into her life: you see her (the main character in Fun Home) reading a certain book, and if you are familiar with the book, you will be able to assume certain things about her life. This way of communicating is more subtle than traditional ways of writing and, in a way, is more close to the way we speak (the way we imply certain things with our tone of voice, our references to pop culture, and our dialect).
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
The idea of closure in a graphic novel interested me. From my understanding, closure is how the spaces between panels of a comic are interpreted to give an implicit (and sometimes explicit) meaning to the images that were scene. The example that William Bradley gives is how, if you see batman reaching for his utility belt, a batarang flying through the air, and the Riddler being crippled by the batarang, you will naturally assume that batman threw the batarang at the Riddler to defeat him. Bradley is especially interested in the way that Bechdel uses closure to allow the reader to gain insight into her life: you see her (the main character in Fun Home) reading a certain book, and if you are familiar with the book, you will be able to assume certain things about her life. This way of communicating is more subtle than traditional ways of writing and, in a way, is more close to the way we speak (the way we imply certain things with our tone of voice, our references to pop culture, and our dialect).
Monday, March 17, 2014
Matt Rosenthal
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
I like the overall message that this "traditional" myth, taken from Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese," has about God having the final say. It portrays God's omnipresent and all-powerful nature in Chinese culture. The Chinese have great reverence for God's power, and understand that even the most powerful entity, even those who come close to Heaven and master all of the "disciples," still answer to God, as he created everything.
The monkey king's story is almost tragic. He attempts to be like the other deities, even though he is far away from them (on Flower-Fruit Mountain). But they still do not allow him to take part in their dinner parties. The monkey king becomes so enraged, he returns home to train and eventually surpass the power of all the great deities, except for God himself (notice HIM, God is a dude in Chinese culture). The monkey king's story may represent (of many things) Chinese views on the futility of trying to reach perfection, as nothing can be as perfect as God.
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
I like the overall message that this "traditional" myth, taken from Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese," has about God having the final say. It portrays God's omnipresent and all-powerful nature in Chinese culture. The Chinese have great reverence for God's power, and understand that even the most powerful entity, even those who come close to Heaven and master all of the "disciples," still answer to God, as he created everything.
The monkey king's story is almost tragic. He attempts to be like the other deities, even though he is far away from them (on Flower-Fruit Mountain). But they still do not allow him to take part in their dinner parties. The monkey king becomes so enraged, he returns home to train and eventually surpass the power of all the great deities, except for God himself (notice HIM, God is a dude in Chinese culture). The monkey king's story may represent (of many things) Chinese views on the futility of trying to reach perfection, as nothing can be as perfect as God.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Matt Rosenthal
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
10 March 2014
What I found really interesting is what Johnston writes about Chinese misogyny versus America's "antipathy toward the feminine" (Johnston, 137). Although China is seen as a more openly anti-feminine country, American has a more subtle and destructive perspective on females. Whereas American stories (Johnston uses a story about God) often have a man as the dominant character (and sometimes the only character), Chinese stories often portray female characters as warriors in their stories. It is interesting to see this weird dichotomy between an obvious misogyny in Chinese culture (for example, baby boys are more desirable), and this reverence for their "mystical" powers. America, on the other hand, has a way of silencing and subverting the "Other" groups. As Johnston points out, Maxine Kingston's book illuminates this "double oppression of race and gender within America" (Johnston, 140), which makes it especially difficult for outsiders, or the "Others," to live without feeling shunned and oppressed in American society.
English 1012
Prof Caroccio
10 March 2014
What I found really interesting is what Johnston writes about Chinese misogyny versus America's "antipathy toward the feminine" (Johnston, 137). Although China is seen as a more openly anti-feminine country, American has a more subtle and destructive perspective on females. Whereas American stories (Johnston uses a story about God) often have a man as the dominant character (and sometimes the only character), Chinese stories often portray female characters as warriors in their stories. It is interesting to see this weird dichotomy between an obvious misogyny in Chinese culture (for example, baby boys are more desirable), and this reverence for their "mystical" powers. America, on the other hand, has a way of silencing and subverting the "Other" groups. As Johnston points out, Maxine Kingston's book illuminates this "double oppression of race and gender within America" (Johnston, 140), which makes it especially difficult for outsiders, or the "Others," to live without feeling shunned and oppressed in American society.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Matthew Rosenthal
Professor J. Caroccio
English 1012
24 February 2014
American Indian Myths and Legends: Response
"Mysterious but real power dwells in nature--in mountains, rivers, even pebbles. White people may consider them inanimate objects, but to the Indian, they are enmeshed in the web of the universe, pulsating with life and potent with medicine" (Erdoes and Ortiz 2).
It is very interesting how Native American Indians hold nature in such a high place, emphasizing it as a part of a "spiritual realm" that is closely connected to the human body and mind. Through nature, there is spiritual and mental healing, but there is something else as well. There is an intangible quality of power, chaos and structure, that cannot be accessed by the lesser human body alone. Instead, as we see in some of the myths presented in this collection, one must go through a transformation, either in location, physical appearance, or mental condition, in order to gain a better understanding of the way in which we should conduct ourselves in a world that is infinitely greater than us (although we tend not to think of this "natural power"). In this light, the chaos, inconsistency, and "incompleteness" that Erdoes and Ortiz use to describe Native American Indian tales should serve to remind us that nature is unpredictable. It is an entity which takes many shapes and forms, and entity we are part of but also one we cannot control. It is then important to learn to respect this entity, treat it as "god" and never overstep the boundaries of human behavior. In this respect, the Native American Indian folktales serves as particularly powerful cautionary tales.
Professor J. Caroccio
English 1012
24 February 2014
American Indian Myths and Legends: Response
"Mysterious but real power dwells in nature--in mountains, rivers, even pebbles. White people may consider them inanimate objects, but to the Indian, they are enmeshed in the web of the universe, pulsating with life and potent with medicine" (Erdoes and Ortiz 2).
It is very interesting how Native American Indians hold nature in such a high place, emphasizing it as a part of a "spiritual realm" that is closely connected to the human body and mind. Through nature, there is spiritual and mental healing, but there is something else as well. There is an intangible quality of power, chaos and structure, that cannot be accessed by the lesser human body alone. Instead, as we see in some of the myths presented in this collection, one must go through a transformation, either in location, physical appearance, or mental condition, in order to gain a better understanding of the way in which we should conduct ourselves in a world that is infinitely greater than us (although we tend not to think of this "natural power"). In this light, the chaos, inconsistency, and "incompleteness" that Erdoes and Ortiz use to describe Native American Indian tales should serve to remind us that nature is unpredictable. It is an entity which takes many shapes and forms, and entity we are part of but also one we cannot control. It is then important to learn to respect this entity, treat it as "god" and never overstep the boundaries of human behavior. In this respect, the Native American Indian folktales serves as particularly powerful cautionary tales.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Matt Rosenthal
Professor J. Caroccio
English 1012
2/17/14
In the article, "Porto Rican Folklore," Peter Hamilton speaks about the relationship between folklore and the development and transformation of language in Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans have a different dialect than other Spanish speakers, and as a result, the ways of telling similar folktales have varied in accordance with these differences. For example, the word "salar," which comes from the word salt, means bad luck to one group of native Puerto Ricans (Borinquen Indians). To them, salt is not pure, the opposite of "the first rainfall of May" (Hamilton 62). Furthermore, other Puerto-Rican-specific superstitions have come out of folklore and are intimately associated with certain words and dialects.
I also find it interesting how musical culture in Puerto Rico is largely taken from other countries, especially Africa. Puerto Rican music, according to Hamilton, can "hardly be said to have a distinctive flavor," which may contribute to the reasons for bringing in music from other cultures.
Professor J. Caroccio
English 1012
2/17/14
In the article, "Porto Rican Folklore," Peter Hamilton speaks about the relationship between folklore and the development and transformation of language in Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans have a different dialect than other Spanish speakers, and as a result, the ways of telling similar folktales have varied in accordance with these differences. For example, the word "salar," which comes from the word salt, means bad luck to one group of native Puerto Ricans (Borinquen Indians). To them, salt is not pure, the opposite of "the first rainfall of May" (Hamilton 62). Furthermore, other Puerto-Rican-specific superstitions have come out of folklore and are intimately associated with certain words and dialects.
I also find it interesting how musical culture in Puerto Rico is largely taken from other countries, especially Africa. Puerto Rican music, according to Hamilton, can "hardly be said to have a distinctive flavor," which may contribute to the reasons for bringing in music from other cultures.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Matthew Rosenthal
Response to "The Sociopsychological Analysis of Folktales" by J. L. Fischer
J. L. Fischer argues that "folktales may be regarded as a major division of expressive culture, which also includes drama, ritual, music, graphic and plastic art, dance, etc., and may be contrasted with practical culture, including technology, economy, politics, and social structure" (236). It is interesting, though, how folktales are directly influenced by the technology, economy, politics, and social structure of a society. Conflict and resolution, the core of most dramatic folktales, almost always stems from one of these aspects and the circumstances they create. People-to-people interaction, conversation, and politics fuel folktale growth and influence.
People and society may create folktales, but once created, they become self-perpetuating-- out of previous stories spawn thousands of variations, and even written/recorded accounts. The folktales then diffuse into other cultural groups; they serve to teach lessons and to entertain, but also to coerce the many divided human cultures into a constantly expanding "universal culture."
What would happen if folktales didn't exist? Is that even possible?
Response to "The Sociopsychological Analysis of Folktales" by J. L. Fischer
J. L. Fischer argues that "folktales may be regarded as a major division of expressive culture, which also includes drama, ritual, music, graphic and plastic art, dance, etc., and may be contrasted with practical culture, including technology, economy, politics, and social structure" (236). It is interesting, though, how folktales are directly influenced by the technology, economy, politics, and social structure of a society. Conflict and resolution, the core of most dramatic folktales, almost always stems from one of these aspects and the circumstances they create. People-to-people interaction, conversation, and politics fuel folktale growth and influence.
People and society may create folktales, but once created, they become self-perpetuating-- out of previous stories spawn thousands of variations, and even written/recorded accounts. The folktales then diffuse into other cultural groups; they serve to teach lessons and to entertain, but also to coerce the many divided human cultures into a constantly expanding "universal culture."
What would happen if folktales didn't exist? Is that even possible?
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