Blog Post #7

This is my freebie.

Blog Post #6

Question #3

I believe that our lives are guided by faith and wherever fate takes we tend to follow. As in Macbeth, he was told his fate as a king and followed the path into becoming one with the first step being to kill his king and friend Duncan. 

My life has been shaped by fate and destiny. When I was younger, my family and I used to live in North Carolina; however, my parents decided to move back to Syria to live the rest of our lives. I really loved living in Syria. But fate took place and we came back to North Carolina because of the civil war. 

My fate was drawn by unexpected events that happened in my life. Events that I would had never imagined could happen to my family.  These events effected our decisions and forced us to change our plans in life.

I do not believe that chance had anything to deal with what my life looks like right now because I always had the right to come back to North Carolina but I did not want to. However, fate pushed me to be where I am today. 

Many argue that fate is connected with religion. I agree to an extent because fate is unknown and it takes a believer to comprehend the events in their lives as fate and destiny. 

Everyone comes to a point in life where they have to chose between two or more things they did not originally plan them. The same is for Macbeth, he is forced to chose between his loyalty and ID.

In Macbeth, Shakespeare's attitude towards fate is very relevant to the matter of the play. The concept of three witches telling Macbeth his destiny as a king is clears supportive of fate verse chance. 

Also, fate was first mentioned in the play by Lad Macbeth. When she was trying to convince Macbeth into killing Duncan for the sake of his fate, which was determined by the three witches as she says: "Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem, to have thee crown'd withal." (Act 1, scene 5, line 29-30)

The quote shows how Shakespeare uses fate in his play rather than chance. The use of fate shows the religious reference in the play and the religious believes of fate and destiny. Macbeth is influence by what the witches told him, which led him into killing the king because of his thirst for power. 

However, Macbeth decision of killing the king was very risky because Duncan had two sons that would had inherited the thrown. But the fate of the two sons was to run away and live in a different country and Macbeth's fate was to become the king. This shows that the character's fate was predetermined.

As Macbeth says: "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other." (Act 1, scene 2) this quote shows how the character had a choice in his action to kill the king because of his desire to become powerful. 

The play is shaped by both fate and choice, The characters fate was predetermined by the witches; however, their choices are what made the witches prediction of the future come true. 

Blog Post #5

When we first arrived at the CAM arts museum, I was very amused by the structure of the building from the outside and the designs on the outside windows were very creative. The building itself gave me an artistic feeling when I first looked at it. The museum from the inside was unexpectedly lacking color; however, there were several randomly placed art pieces around the museum that were unique and had different ideas. The arts in the museum were referred to as "Limited Visibility," which meant that the artists method employ voluntary omission, erasure, withholding and concealment.

My sketch of the piece of art

The presentation surely draws my attention towards modern art because I did not expect art to be this way. For example, I imaged the museum to contain painting, drawings and sculptures; however, the arts barely were painting and drawings. The museums focus was mostly on how artists are able to draw creativity out of reality with a modern twist.

What really impressed me the most was the art done by Santiago Sierra an artist from Spain, in 2006, called 89 Huilcholes. The description of the art stated that the art is 84 black and white photographs of people facing the wall. The people in the art believe, if a photo was taken of their faces, then a part of their souls is lost.

Santiago Sierra has worked to create socially critical actions. The people are often presented with their backs to the views, they anonymous examples of how human dignity is an economic privilege. The artist wants the viewers to think and perceive the art beyond the form or the action being preformed.

Even though, the photographs are taken in  black and white, but they are considered modern media because of the position of the people. Usually, people face the camera; however, the artist decided faces are too valuable to appear in front of the camera.

The artist's choice of black and white, also the position of the people gives the art originality. The art includes photographs of women and men. Seemingly, they look like they are working class people. Most of people are wearing head coverings, have short hair and are dark skin, even though it's hard to tell because of the black and white theme.

The art is arranged in a way that would appeal to the viewer's reasoning and emotions. The lack of colors, faces, and facial expressions makes it hard for the viewer to be bias toward the arts purpose and the people are viewed as one with this position, also it is hard to tell weather they are women or men
. The new technique that the artist has applied is superior to the traditional techniques because it makes the viewers think beyond the colors and faces of the people.

I think the meaning of this piece is to allow people to view social classes without labels. The position and the artist's choice of black and white. The artist is trying to emphasize social conditions. This causes me to think about the different social classes differently. Especially, That I have lived in a community that composes low classes more than high classes.

When reading the title of the art work, the idea of simple, but classy occurred to me. However, the art is far from classy and simple. The ideas the art present are relevant and outline current problems. The museum curator chose this piece of art because it represents a current event and modern art. The art has special significance to the viewers because it is relevant to today's economic conditions and represents the majority of people in each economy not only kin Mexico, but also around the world.


                             

Blog Post #3

Lowood institution was a school where orphan  girls were fed burnt porridge, and made to wash in freezing water under the reason of saving their souls, and developing their self-esteem to become better humans and reach perfection.

Many character's in this story shape the society's thoughts and requirements. For example, the teacher at Lowood try too hard to mold out of these girls a perfect christian girl, under the authority of Mr.Brocklehurst. The teachers are unaware to the uniqueness of these girls because are so busy focusing on how to make them perfect.

Bronte communicates these thoughts through the punishments that were presented in the reading because of imperfection. Not only cruel punishments, but also Mr. Bocklehurst justifying these actions with religion to make them seem reasonable. Characters of Lowood are focusing so much on punishments that there is no place to emphasis positive accomplishments and well-being.

Mr. Brocklehurst character can be connected to the aunts in the Handmaid's tale, as he forces a young girl to stand on a stool among her fellow class mates to humiliate her, and make her feel less worthy of the school. Just as, what the aunts did to the handmaid's during the period of their training. This action is considered as bulling a problem many children face by older children with less self-esteem. So, maybe Mr. Brocklehurst lost his self-esteem and was trying to punish these girls for his lost,under the justification that the school is trying to mold them into perfect christian followers. "Punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such salvation be possible" (Bronte).

For what we know about Mr. Brocklehurst's character, we could imagine his family simple and modest, just as Jane. However when they enter the room, they were complimented for their perfect artificial curls and they were engulfed in silk. Even though, Mr. Brocklehurst tries to create a generation of plan Janes, straight hair and simple clothing. However, his family shows that what he wants of the girls does not reflect on his family. Bronte shows how religious practices intend to enforce their religious thoughts on other but not on themselves.

Bronte also comments on the different class and shows how not only religious thoughts enforce certain cultural differences. Also, that Mr. Brocklehurst's family is relatively wealthy based on what was described of them, which shows that what your social class is gives you permission to be who you are. Compared to the girls at Lowood who are forced to wear and be, how the teachers and Mr. Brocklehurst wants them to be and look as?

Jane presents the upper social class influence on the lower class. For example, she is a young orphan girl, it is assumed that she is somewhat at fault; therefore she must punished. The values of this society are based upon Christianity and are used to justify cruel punishments for the sake of better souls.

Post #1

We are the Other - David and Lou, South Minneapolis, MN (2012)

They were like an echo. Whatever question I asked one would answer and then the other would nod in agreement or repeat the answer. They met seven years ago when Lou (right) moved here from Chicago. “I don’t ever want to go back,” he said. “It’s hard for a young black man there. Mofos robbing each other.”

David lives a block away in the house he grew up in. They are “brothers from another mother” they said. Some other things they are:

“We love women.”

“Real recognize real.”

“We’re two bosses, entrepreneurs. We’re always gettin’ it.”

“Whatever gets the money, that’s what we’re into. And family. That’s about it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A picture of David and Lou in south Minneapolis, Minnesota taken by the extraordinary photographer Wing Huie in 2012. At the first glance, the picture seems ordinary just two adult friends hanging out on the porch of a typical American house, you can see two men of different races one black and the other white. looking closely at their faces, you can see similar features as both of them are wearing glasses of the same color and have similar facial hair. Also, both of the men seem to be uncomfortable in their poses and lack the interest of being in the photo shut. However, despite their lack of interest they seem to except where they are and how they appear to the world. in addition the man on the left is holding a cigarette and is okay with his posture in front of the camera. The status of the house seems to be old because of the peeling paint off the wall, based on the picture the house seems to be small.

looking at what both of the men are wearing, we can assume that they are on a day off or work part time. Therefore, they spend most of their time hanging out with each other from the picture they seem to be close friends. Furthermore, the peeling paint on the railings shows that they cannot afford to keep their home in better condition or maybe they are renting and cannot afford to buy a home. However, the picture shows that these two men of different racial status are willing to overcome all their differences with a friendship that has lasted seven years and more to come.

Wing Huie and Margret Atwood present "othering" in different forms. For example, Wing Huie represents "othering" by presenting two low class men of different races in a friendly picture and demonstrates that when people are willing to accept who they are and love themselves before others, we can overlook color and accept diversity. Also, the choice for the angle of the picture makes it easier and clearer for the reader to distinguish and examine the differences that make the two men similar and closer to each other.

In Margret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale, "othering" is presented through the use of different colors that place each individual into a different group and the specific clothing that separates each social group from the other. Also, each individual is assigned a specific  life style and task based on the social group they relate to. Furthermore, females are also grouped into different social groups and are not allowed to read, count nor write and few men of power are allowed to read from the Bible. In addition, the Bible is manipulated in the way that approves to the Gileadean governments needs and wants. Lastly, information and media in the Gileadean society are filtered and conserved so the people are completely unaware of what is going on in the country.