Draft of Ekphrasis Essay

 

How am I Learning to Write? -pt 2

Jodi Newton

Writing 101.202

How am I Learning to Write?

K.E. Allen

August 13, 2012

Steps of Writing

As I said eight weeks ago, one is always learning how to write. Summer Bridge has taught me that learning is a never ending cycle; what you do today can be applied to what you do tomorrow. Have it be learning a new math formula, public speaking, presenting, how to tie your shoes, or how to better your writing skills. My classmates and instructors had a part of my learning experiences this summer, each one of them opening my eyes to something different. I believe I overcame my “stage fright” of writing and improved my revision skills by being able to discuss assignments in class.

There is always going to be that one issue that you struggle with at any given point in your life.Writing has never been my forte, even in high school when I received excellent marks on my papers. It never comes easy or naturally to me. At the very beginning of this program I remember just staring at my computer screen for hours, waiting for an epiphany  to strike me. One of our many writing assignments, “How Writing Leads to Thinking and Not the Other Way Around,” gave me a few tips and rules to push through writer’s block. However, the rule that effected me the most was the ‘radish rule.’ Your goal for writing is to cultivate the number of pages you need, and to stay in that tunnel-vision momentum. Also, second guessing yourself is good at times but can be harmful when writing. I learned this when I drafted three different starts to my first reflection essay. Now look at me; writing 300 words without a chance of slowing down.

Revision is an important part of the writing process; it’s the final touch ups you do before turning in your master piece. Revision is a continuous action which should be done with peers. Peer review allows you to have your essay looked over and corrected, and you can look at the ways others have formatted there own.

If I had to pick one reading which influenced my writing style the most, it would have to be Freire’s “The Banking Concept of Education.” Freire explains how education needs to change from the banking concept to problem-posing, which encourages creativity, dialogue, and cognitive thinking. Most of my high school career was spent listening and following the teacher’s directions , never actually second guessing their actions. I was expected to only just show for class every day, listen, not get into trouble, and to complete assignments.So it’s a whole new experience in college, or at least in Writing 100 at the University of Michigan. My ideas and voice are welcomed, wanted. I am encouraged everyday to question, analyze, and debate the information given to me. This has greatly improved my writing because my voice is now in my papers; I can write a scholarly essay and still have my personality be found.

I have learned so much throughout my summer journey here at the University of Michigan.  I can honestly say I do not hold any bitterness in ‘losing’ my summer to attend the Summer Bridge Program. Truth be told, I did not lose anything; only gained more knowledge and experience than I could ever hope for. I know a multiple of students were angry and apprehensive of having their freedom taken away so soon. They did not yet realize the opportunity bestowed onto them, us. We, as a selected group, have been chosen against all odds to make he University of Michigan our home for the next four years; a community where differences are embraced and creativity is craved for.

Letter From Birmingham Jail

This is not my first time reading Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, but it will be my first summary on it. My initial reaction to MLK’s letter was astonishment that he could keep such a calm demeanor while writing to his oppressors. He tells the clergymen exactly why he was there in Birmingham, and why action could not be held back any longer. Promises made to his community were broken and so MLK was invited into Birmingham by  a fellow affiliated organization. He begins to tell the clergymen their four basic steps in a nonviolence campaign: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action.

Pause

One of Martin Luther King’s first statement in this letter was he seldom answers to criticism of his work or ideas. MLK responds back to the clergymen, who called his presence unwise and untimely, in a calm and reasonable manner.

Outsiders Coming In

MLK is accused of showing up in town uninvited. He was actually invited by his fellow church affiliation, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. He also says that he is in Birmingham because injustice is present.

Basic Steps 

There are four steps to a nonviolent campaign: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action. MLK and his group went through all four steps before taking action.

Better Path? 

The clergymen asked MLK why direct action? Isn’t negotiation a better path? Yes, and that is the point of direct action. Direct action is suppose to push for negotiation, make the leaders want to negotiate instead of dealing with sit-ins and marches.

Waiting 

The African American community could not wait any longer, they would not wait. Negotiation had taken too long. They have watched too many family members die, be beaten, thrown into jail, insulted, and lose hope.

Concerns 

In the letter to MLK, the clergymen expressed concerns about their willingness to break laws. MLK shoots back that there are just and unjust laws; he brakes the unjust ones.    St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. 

Examples

Unjust laws: Hitler and the holocaust, Gay marriage    Just Laws: 7 commandments

” I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust. and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.”

Oppression 

Paragraph 33 reminded of Freire’s essay, “The Banking Concept.” One cannot be oppressed forever; someone is going to want to taste freedom.

Extremist 

MLK is happy with being categorized  as an extremist, though at first he was not. He again brings an example of Jesus into his argument, saying Jesus was an extremist for love. Also: Amos, Martin Luther, Paul, John Bunyan, and Abraham Lincoln were all extremist.

Disappointments 

White people are unable to understand why African American’s need equality. This is a disappointment because MLK hopes were too high. He is also greatly disappointed in the white church and leadership. MLK quoted, “I came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of this community would see the justice of our cause and, with deep moral concern, would serve as the channel through which our just grievances could reach the power structure.”

Police Force 

He does not agree with the clergymen’s comment of the Birmingham police force keeping order or preventing violence. They attributed to a lot of the violence that happened during the protesting.

My feelings and thoughts did somewhat change after reading the Letter from Birmingham Jail with the class and having a discussion on it. I did not really pay attention to the fact that Martin Luther King kept a calm and sincere throughout his letter. I also noticed that he often referred to biblical history and religion; I believe this was to put his letter in the perspective of the clergymen, who are priests and rabies.

Analyzing a Painting: The Bullfight

Jodi Newton

Writing 100 (Section 202)

Ekphrasis

K.E. Allen

August 10, 2012

Analyzing a Painting: The Bullfight

“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”  Quoted by Pablo Picasso, this statement is made true by his art work, including a painting located at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Picasso, world renowned Spanish artist, has created many momentous pieces including The Bullfight, which is presently at the UMMA. The painting has a deeper meaning than what is seen at first glance. It may seem as if Picasso is merely portraying his deep passion for bullfighting, but when further examined, it uncovers a lot more. Splashes of red, yellow, and purple decorate the portrait, bringing the festivity into a new light. Picasso uses abstract objects and shapes in his painting, a style that is very popular now a days. His usage of abstract makes it so there is no clear reality to The Bullfight. I however depicted his painting  to reveal the struggles of the wars in Spain.

War strikes many places in the world, and it has been a frequent occurrence in countries such as Spain. This issue of war is well hidden within the overall presentation of the image. While first analyzing Picasso’s work, one does not see the lancer on the horse in his fancy clothing, the bull being speared from above, or the matador waving his purple cape. It is a jumbled and confusing sight; requiring time to realize the bigger picture. The whole image is portrayed as a traditional spectacle of Spain, in which a bull is baited, and then killed in an arena for sport and entertainment.  In actuality, there is a greater tension between the lancer and the bull than just blood sport, though that does play a part when discovering what The Bullfight painting represents.

The Bull

Picasso has a reoccurring theme in many of his pieces, though sometimes it is difficult to see. The bull in his art work is a mystery to all, and we can only speculate the true meaning behind its appearance. Many critics believe Picasso uses the bulls as symbols to represent various ideas: the Spanish people, power, virility, brutality, war, and his own self-image.¹ However, in this particular piece the bull represents the Spanish citizens in their time of crisis. The wars in Spain disrupted the once peaceful atmosphere of the country and drove to overpower the Spaniard’s customs and land. The citizens had to fight back for their freedom and lives, even though the invading army had a tremendous power advantage over them. The bull is a fighter until the very end, and, as seen in the painting, it will not back down from a challenge.

The Lancer on the Horse

The lancer on the horse is that challenge. When I first came across Picasso’s painting I immediately dubbed the matador as being the enemy, for they are the actual bullfighters in the event. However, the lancer is striking the bull with a spear, piercing its back, and spilling the first sight of blood. From this perspective, the lancer is the invading army overtaking Spain. The Spaniards are being prodded, baited, and made to charge first in anger; the outsiders want this. It’s not as fun to take over a country without some resistance, an obstacle to tear down. The question is, how long can the bull last before the final blow is struck? As interpreters, we can only imagine the outcome.

The Matador

In traditional bullfighting, the matador is the star of the show. They seek to elicit inspiration from their work and form an emotional connection with the crowd through the bull; followers of this traditional spectacle regard bullfighting as “fine arts.” In the circumstance that the lancer is now the enemy, then the matador represents Spain’s customs, traditions, and culture. The matador is located behind the bull in the painting, waving his purple cape. With the killing of the bull what will be left for the matador to do? The tradition of bullfighting will die as the invaders move in, destroying and conquering the animals which resist their authority.

Of course there are countless interpretations to Picasso’s The Bullfight. The artist may have never intended for his painting to be related to war; maybe Picasso meant to only display his passion for the sport that he grew up with while living in Spain. The beauty within Picasso’s art work lies in realizing the truth for ourselves.

Works Cited

¹“Pablo Picasso – Bull: a master class on abstract art.” free art lessons – learn how to draw, paint and design. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Aug. 2012. <http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/animals_in_art/pablo_picasso/pablo_picasso.htm&gt;.

 

A Vision of Students Today

If students learn what they do.. What are they learning sitting here?

This YouTube video targets colleges and universities on there teaching habits. Students sit in there seats and listens to their teacher lecture. They can take notes, browse the internet, or just sit there..and the teacher would not care. The video shows statistics and actual college students. What are the students of today hopes, dreams, how do they learn, and what their lives will be like.

What is it like to be a student of today?

• “My average class size is 115.”
• “18% of my teachers know my name.”
• “I complete 49% of the readings assigned to me.”
• “I buy hundred dollar textbooks that I never open.”
• “I am a multi-tasker (I have to be).”

Is this how our lives will be in and after college? Spending 2.5 hours on Facebook, 2 hours of music, 3 hours of studying, work 2 hours of day, 3 hours of classes…

The Bullfight (Ekphrasis) -Reflection Analysis

Central Purpose or Focus 

• My art essay does have a central focus. I relate Picasso’s painting to the wars in Spain, being it was painted in 1934 when wars were present.
• Summary: There are three figures inside the painting which in some way represents the Spanish wars; the lancer on the horse, the bull, and the matador.
• Angel- He thinks my paper will further discuss the painting in detail and also how it relates to the wars in Spain.

Audience 

• My audience is to whomever has not yet seen The Bullfight or has not seen it in a while.
• The purpose of my paper is to allow the reader to be able to visualize the painting as an art of war.
• Someone would want to read my paper to gain a different perspective of the painting.
• Yes, the purpose does match the assigned prompt.

Organization 

• The paper does progress in an organized way. I describe the painting starting at the left and making my way to the right.
• I cannot think of a better organization than what I have.

Outline: I. Introduction-describing painting. II. Connecting painting to wars. III. Begin analyzing the bull. IV. Than lancer and the horse. V. The Matador. VI. Conclusion

• Paragraph 2.) Spanish war, Picasso, use more examples of painting.
• Paragraph 3.) Spanish war, bull- how it relates to the Spanish war, describe the painting, symbolism.
• Paragraph 4.) The horse and the lancer, focus more on why the bull is being attacked.
• Paragraph 5.) The matador, hos role.
• Paragraph 6.) Conclusion, everything I thought about the painting, final thoughts.

Development

• Yes, there are places where more detail is needed. Paragraph 1 and 5.
• Yes, paragraph 5 seems short and needs more detail.
• My friend agrees that paragraph 5 needs more detail.

Make a Plan

• Add more detail to the paragraphs listed.
• Add more description about the painting.

UMMA- Part 1

The Bullfight by Pablo Picasso

• A man on a horse (left side)
• Bull is under the spear
• Matador on right, with purple cape.
• They’re in an arena
• Colors: red, yellow, green, purple, black, blue
• Abstract, oil pastel, triangles and circles, smooth, image is flat.
• It was difficult at first to see the bull, the man on the horse, and the matador. Everything is jumbled together.

What is the point of this art piece?

Why is the bull being speared?

Why does Picasso use triangles many times?

Did he draw this from something he saw or does it have a deeper meaning?

Bull’s meaning? Why is it important?

Horse’s meaning?

Matador’s meaning? Why is he there?

• Bulls often appear in Picasso’s work. He uses them as symbols to represent various ideas: the Spanish people, power, virility, brutality, war, and his own self-image.
• Watching bullfighting- was fierce power and inevitable tragedy.
• Bull can be as a symbol of Spain (Spanish culture, virtues, and values).
• Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle in Spain.
• Followers regard it as ‘fine arts.’
• Matadors are the bullfighters

8-2-12 In Class Revisions

Jodi’s revision

Freire first introduces the “banking” concept of education as being an analogy—the student is a bank and the teacher is the depositor. This concept is what leads to human beings becoming oppressed. Students are encouraged to “fit in to” the world as it is; this means that they remain meek, unquestioning, and submissive to authoritative roles. He also points out explains that the main reason for this concept not being effective is because there is no teacher-student dialogue and the creative mind is inhibited. Freire criticized this model of education because he believed it made students into passive, objects to be acted upon by the teacher; this will which results in the students accepting and adapting to the world around deposited on to them. He argues d that the goal of ‘banking education’ is to break down the people students within the existing establishment educational system (oppressed) by influencing them to accept the status quo of the dominant society (oppressor) .

 

 

Lauren’s revision

When I initially saw the picture I was kind of caught off guard. It was taller than me by at least two and a half feet , plus another half foot because it is raised off of the ground and it was dark, tall, and menacing. – but The longer I looked at it, I started to felt contradicting feelings emotions and thoughts. I saw something that had power, something with missing pieces, and was something changing. I felt despair for it and I felt like thought it was misunderstood because of its appearance. After thinking about all of these things the painting, I saw noticed that there was an underlying theme. of why I think it is so interesting I find things interesting when I don’t understand them.

Library Field Trip

Despite popular beliefs, coffee is not bad for your health; quite the opposite actually. After researching the effects coffee has on health (using ProQuest) I came across an article titled Various good effects of coffee on our health. 

Benefits of coffee includes:

• Significantly lower levels of Cpeptide hormone, a component of insulin in our body, compared to non-coffee drinkers. Which means a lower chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
• Coffee is known to increase short term memory and concentration.
• Coffee relieves headaches and lessens depression.
•  A lowered chance of getting certain cancers, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart rhythm problems and stroke.

Bad effects:

• Teeth stain, caffeine induced anxiety in some people, and constipation.
• Mild incidents of insomnia is some people.

Coffee provides these health benefits because it’s just that good. Everything in coffee is proven to help your body in some way. Coffee has anti-oxidants, vitamins (calcium and magnesium), and is calorie free. The number of cups of coffee safe to drink depends on the individual. A person with an already present condition may not want to drink as much coffee; conditions like heartbeat irregularity or insomnia.

I chose coffee to search about because I love it. I can’t go a day without drinking it, though I add sugar and cream to it. A lot of people in the past have tried to convince me that all the coffee I drink is bad for me.. Guess they were wrong.

http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/news/docview/926416103/fulltext/138598B48C521B66BE9/1?accountid=14667

Art Fair

Art Fair

As I walk down the steps of North Quad and into the filling streets of Ann Arbor, I look around at my surroundings in awe. Never have I been to an art fair of this magnitude before, with an endless stream of colors and white tents heading in all directions. With my writing assignment in hand, I follow the herd of people heading deeper into the fair, with anticipation and imagination trailing behind me.

A half an hour into my adventuring and I still have not found the perfect art piece to write about. I make my way down State Street in hopes that something will jump out and grab me. The constant flow of people makes it difficult to stop and stare at a piece, which forces me to move from my spot and continue weaving between the sea of bodies. I catch glimpses of patterns, clay, glass, fabric, and cats but none of them leaves me speechless and wanting more.

With one hour left before I have to make my way back, I begin to frantically search for anything that seems interesting. Should I write about a picture of a green frog? A giraffe drinking water? Or what about a little boy in the streets? An assignment meant to be fun and creative has turned into the complete opposite. I begin to write about the little boy when I look up, swearing I heard my name, and catch a sight I wish I saw earlier.

Abandoning the previous picture, I am now in front of a tent full of colors, hopes, warmth, and wants. A certain photograph pulled me over, and I find myself wishing to be there now as I feel the rain fall upon me. Knowing I may not be drawn to another work of art like this one, I move forward for a better view and place myself within the picture. Then, I begin writing.

I’m sitting in the cooling sand, watching as the waves crash just a few feet in front of me. The sky is a sky blue-pink, the color my grandpa would use when describing summer sunsets. The pink clouds cast a slight hue across the beach, giving the water a mysterious tint. A breeze sweeps by, picking up my hair and carrying along the smell of the ocean’s salt. I look out into the horizon and wonder how long this feeling of tranquility will last before I have to head back to life’s uncertainties. It’s like waking up in the morning to your favorite cup of coffee, drinking the sweet nectar slowly because you know once it’s gone all you will have left is an empty cup. Sighing in both contentment and loss, I know my time here is coming to an end. Picking up the damp sand, I watch as it slips through my fingertips and back to where it belongs. I close my eyes to remember this moment; the kaleidoscope sky, summer breeze, turning waves, sun kissed skin, salty water, cooling heat, and the absence of worry. 

I imagine being there on the beach as I write, feeling that I actually am. My trance is broken when my phone alarm rings, informing me my time of sunsets has ended. With one last glance at the photo, I head back to a world of rain, people, assignments, and ..coffee? I glance down at my phone, and I have just enough time to retrieve my small addiction. Now, with a mocha raspberry blended coffee in one hand and my papers in the other, I make my journey back to the steps of North Quad and into the classroom with my peers.