Final Reflection

 

    In Humanities 1100 I realized the importance of nature. Not only in my life but in the life of so many others. My favorite quote from the class came out of the reading, "Introduction to Responses of the Land" It is “…there existed a strong sense of the positive role that nature played in spiritual life.” (pg. 342)It helped me to realize that while nature is so easy to neglect and just disregard  but for true spiritual happiness nature is the basic element that needs to be developed.

Week 18: Gender

Male Privilege Checklist:
"I am far less likely to face sexual harassment at work than my female co-workers are." (pg. 536) This is a basic truth in the workplace. It is much more likely for the female in the workplace to be harassed than the males. I personally know several women who have been sexually harassed in the workplace. It is very sad that just because she is a female the males feel the need to be unprofessional. The female is the same employee as they are and should be respected with respect and should be realized as there colleague.

Media Protrayls:

The Joker: George Calamari (Joel Murray)

The Jock: Teddy Beckerstad (Matt Mulhern)

The Strong Silent Type: Casandra (Demi Moore)

The Big Shot: Old Man Beckerstad (William Hickey)

The Action Hero: Hoops McCann (John Cusack)

The Buffoon: Egg Stork (Bobcat Goldwait)

Graduation

            This was an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It is from the graduation scene in the novel.  The speech that is made was very harsh but it was most likely true in the time period. I would guess that many African Americans did not see the point in an education. This is because they would end up with the same crummy jobs so there was basically no point. But Maya Angelou worked past the barriers that were presented to her based on her race and she became a very successful African American woman. Granted she had to face terrible obstacles but these obstacles helped her to become who she is and they were a large influence on her writing. Because she had the courage to do what she did we all get to enjoy her work. One of the problems back then was that black people could only do certain jobs. These jobs were not easy or fun they often held the “dirt” jobs and t was sort of similar to the untouchables in India. It was truly pathetic for it to be like that but it just makes the fact that Maya Angelou so much more important and amazing. She was one of the greats who paved the way for other African Americans.

Shocking Story

 

I have learned, studied, and read about the horrifying story of Emmitt Till on several occasions. You would think that after that you would grow bored and numb to the story—but not in my case. This story still puts a lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach. I have repeatedly tried to figure out how someone could let those men get away with murder just because they were white and this was an awful murder. It was a killing through hate and I would call it torture. I have seen pictures of Till’s body after he was found they are absolutely terrifying. They are so graphic that they often describe Till as a scrap of meat that was barely holding together. He was in such bad condition that his mother had to identify by the ring he was wearing rather than his own face. This is why this story always brings tears to my eyes and just makes me so angry. It is horrible hat race was the deciding factor in this case and nothing else was considered. 

Hughes Poems

“They send me to eat in the kitchen when company comes, But I laugh, and eat well, and grow strong.” (pg. 594) This is a quote from the Langston Hughes’ poem, “I, Too.” I had the opportunity to go to a performance at the University of Utah honoring Langston Hughes. It was very surprising to me that the majority of attendees were Caucasian. I was expecting the African Americans of Utah to honor a man who did so much for them. Even though it is that it did not have a large audience it made me happy that the white community was there to experience a different culture. This poem was accompanied by a musical composition on the piano and while it was read aloud there were performers who were dancing to the words. This poem is very inspiring because even though the black community had every right of hatred back then Hughes just wrote about the future and how with patience everything would change. This was kind of similar to the way Gandhi taught. This is my favorite Langston Hughes poem.

Creative Writing

An Unlikely Love and Life

            Jack was a very troubled young man. He was caught up in the lifestyle of the 1960s and 1970s. He spent the majority of his childhood and early adulthood partying. He would sleep all day and party all night. He was a hippie who lived the lifestyle of free love and peace which often included sex, drugs, and alcohol. He was such a partier that he never thought he would live to be thirty. This all changed however when he met a wonderful woman named Tracy.

            Tracy grew up in a very troubled home. Her parents were so caught up in drug use to pay her any attention. She was also very poor. Her family constantly had to move because they would miss rent due to drug use and they often had no food, heat, or electricity. She was very shy and studious. They were so poor however that she was constantly teased and mocked at school so she would skip school in order to stay away from bullies.

            Jack met Tracy through her parents because he would buy drugs from them. Although this is not a normal story book beginning for a romance Tracy was very happy. Jack was a very attractive young man and had a personality that could sweep any girl off of her feet. He had a very bad reputation though and Tracy wanted nothing to do with people who were like her parents. Jack finally got her to go out with him and it all went from there. They were both taken by each other, “waiting for a knock, listening for a sign,” (Robert Graves, pg. 381). Little did Jack know but Tracy would finally be the woman that would settle him down.

            They dated for a little over a year. Jack was very charming and would show up at work with flowers and chocolates just to make Tracy happy. They quickly fell in love with each other and moved in together. They lived together for a while before Jack “popped the question.” He asked when they were sitting at his sister’s house. His niece had found a ring on the ground and Jack offered her a quarter for it. With that ring he bought for a quarter he asked Tracy to marry him. It may have not been that romantic but it meant the world to Tracy. She agreed and a few months later they got married in his parent’s back yard so his dying father could see the ceremony.

            Two years following the wedding Jack and Tracy had their first daughter, Harmony. She was born a day before their anniversary which is what Tracy says “is the best anniversary present she could have ever asked for.” Eighteen months later their second daughter was born and her name was Melody (and if you ask me she is the coolest.)   Two daughters now they wait five years to try for their first boy and he finally comes and his name is Elijah. A few months after Elijah is born someone from Jack’s past enters his life. Jack gets phone call form a fourteen year old girl named Brandi and on this phone call she tells him that she is her father. A very challenging obstacle for Tracy to overcome but it made their marriage grow even stronger.

            It is now twelve years later and to everyone’s surprise Tracy is pregnant. They gather everyone in the living room: Harmony: 19, Melody: 17, Elijah: 12 to tell them that they are going to have another baby. Shocking and scary at first the kids were kind of mad but after adjusting to the idea and having a new baby at home they love with all their hearts everyone is so happy that they took the risk of having another baby.

            Jack and Tracy now have a daughter at Westminster College and one on the way there. Even though neither of them has an education they made sure their kids has a greater chance at happiness than they did. They now have two boys to raise their last two boys and ensure success in their lives as they have tried in their two daughters. 

Cultural Activity

1.      What play or musical did you attend?

a.       “The Woman in Black” at the Shakespearian Festival at Southern Utah University in September of 2009.

2.      Give a summary or description of the play you saw.

a.       The “Woman in Black” is a chilling ghost story. It is about a woman who is seeking revenge for all that has happened to her. Her son was taken away from her by her sister because she did not feel she was fit to be a mother. But when her son died she vowed to never forgive her sister and then hung herself. She now haunts the town and every time she is seen a child within the town is killed. The main character has a son himself. He is sent to go through the house where the woman in black lived and is haunted by her continual appearances and shrieking. The man discovers the story of the sisters and the boy. He has to read terrifying letters that scare him even more. Unfortunately even after he tries to reunite the woman and her son she continues to haunt them because of her vow. She eventually kills the man and his son.

3.      In 250 words discuss the quality of the performance.

a.       This was the best play I have ever seen in my life. I was skeptical at first about how a play could be scary but let’s just say I had nightmares. It was an amazing performance. I had never been so moved in my life. They actors were truly amazing. They did nothing that detracted from the play, thank goodness. That is one reason why I often have a hard time watching plays because it is hard for the actors to be perfect like they are on movies. The most amazing part of this play was not the actors but the set. I do not how they accomplished it but they made it so the woman in black popped out of nowhere. It made it seem like a movie because she would pop out when it was least expected. That was so amazing to me because it would take a lot of creativity to come up with how to do it. It was truly fascinating. I am so thankful that I was able to experience this.

4.      In 250 words discuss the social and philosophical issues the play addresses and indicate what answers and conclusions were reached.

a.       The main issue addressed in this play was the existence of spirits. Most people in the world do not believe in ghosts. This is true within the play. There were people who were skeptical and would tell the people when they would suggest that they saw a ghost that they were crazy. But apparently it wasn’t true because there were ghosts and many of those who did not believe were tricked into their death. The conclusion that was reached was that ghosts are real and haunt the earth—yeah right.

5.      What did you find about the background of the work or playwright?

a.       This play was adapted from novel by Susan Hill called The Woman in Black. It was written in 1983. It was later made into a play and was first performed in 1987 in Scarborough, UK. It was the second longest running play and is still being run today but is on tour. In 1989 it was adapted into a TV-movie in England. In 2011 it was adapted into a film again and was very popular because it was released around Halloween.

6.      Would you recommend this performance to others why or why not?

a.       I would most definitely recommend this performance to others. This was one of my favorite plays I have ever seen. Everything was so amazing that I would have nothing bad to say about it. This play was very scary and I was always jumping out of my sear. I truly enjoyed this play. I was not sure how it would be but I am so glad that I was able to see it because it was truly an unforgettable experience.

7.      What was your personal reaction to this performance? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or Why not?

a.       My personal reaction to this performance was shock, awe, enjoyment, and absolute amazement. I truly did not know a play could be scary. It is hard to frighten people without special effects and technology. This play however did it so well you would have thought you were there. The way it entertained and scared the audience was truly amazing. I would love to go to this play again especially at the Shakespearian Festival. I would never turn down another offer to go to the Shakespearian Festival. I saw amazing plays that weekend and it was a great experience.

From Tristan

            “You and I, Tristan and Isolde, shall forever remain one and undivided! Let this kiss be a seal upon it that I am your, that you are mine, steadfast till death, but one Tristan and Isolde!” (pg. #305) This is the final line from our reading “from Tristan.” This line is describing love after death. If two people lived on this earth and conquered obstacles to be the one they love, such as the lovers Tristan and Isolde, their love will last forever. Tristan and Isolde were “the cave of lovers.” Their love created this cave and without their love it would have simply been a cave. Even though the two lovers died their love lives on in spirit because it was so strong.

*When I was reading this passage I knew it was very familiar. It took me a while to figure it out but it finally came to me. A while ago a movie came out named, “Tristan and Isolde.” I remember being really excited about it because James Franco was in it.

To His Coy Mistress

            “My vegetable love should grow vaster than empires and more slow.” This is a quote from “To His Coy Mistress,” by Andrew Marvell. It is a love poem but it is very unique when compared to other love poems. Instead of declaring his love passionately and exaggerative he writes as if they have an eternity and life goes on forever. They can wait forever to fall in love. This quote talks about his love being gradual but that the strength their love will have because it was not rushed. Rather than a normal love poem this one does not feature the common cultural ideal of “love at first sight.”

Sonnet XI

            “I hunger for you sleek laugh, your hands the color a savage harvest, hunger for the pale stones of your fingernail, I want to eat your skin like a whole almond.” I am sorry but this sonnet was disturbing. What is this cannibal love? I would not want someone who loved me to describe their love in this way. I think instead of achieving my affection they would get a slap in the face that was gross!

Symptoms of Love

            “Symptoms of Love,” is a poem by Robert Graves. I truly enjoyed this poem because it revealed love in the way that I think it is like, a painful but gratifying experience. I feel like love, even though I have never truly experienced it, is worth every down because the few ups that are experienced are the greatest. I believe true love lead to the greatest experiences in life and that lovers should always be cherished.

            My favorite quote from this poem was very hard to pick out. I do not know why, but I am so in love with romance and all things related. So I truly enjoyed this poem. But if I had to choose a favorite quote I think it would be “Listening for a knock, waiting for a sign” I love this quote it reminds me of being twitter pated when you just want to be around the one you love and experience life with them.

Art of Courtly Love

"Love (amor)" is derived from the word "hook (amar)" which signifies "capture" or to "be captured."

         I found this very interesting. I never wondered about where the word love came from. I find it very cool that it came from the word "hook" because when you're in love you are absolutely hooked on that person. It's like the song "Hooked on a Feeling."

Symposium

            The general argument made by Plato in his work The Symposium is that there is a middle ground with everything. More specifically, something can be in the middle of the spectrum rather than being to the left or the right. This could be true with anything and is completely true with politics. With politics people seem to think you either have to be to the right (conservative) or to the left (liberal). The truth is however that the true happy medium lies in the middle and this is where things could truly get done. He writes, “must that be foul which is not fair…and this which is not wise ignorant?” In this passage Plato is suggesting that just because love is not always fun it is not foul and just because it is not foul it is not fair however. In conclusion it is Plato’s belief that something does not have to be one thing if it is not the other.

           

In my view, Plato is right because there is always a middle ground to everything. For example if people would look at the medium rather than the far extremes the world could be a happier place. The middle ground is kind of the area for compromise in every aspect of life. Therefore I conclude that love, politics, and intelligence are only a few main aspects of life in which there are a middle ground and the place where true happiness lies.

Nature Argument

            Moderation and simplicity are important in living with nature. Without moderation and simplicity it is simply impossible to live with nature. Moderation saves nature from being completely wiped out while simplicity creates a life for humans to fully enjoy nature. I see simplicity as meaning enough tools and technology to be confortable but the extra frivolous gadgets are not used. If these gadgets are present someone cannot enjoy nature in a true way. Edward Abbey and Henry David Thoreau are two authors who would agree with this argument.

            For example, Abbey stated, “How much is enough?” (p. 2) this plays into both simplicity and moderation. Abbey was worried about the road being built in Arches National Park. True this road made the park more accessible but to what price. Now there are families in big RVs who have TVs and other fancy gadgets. These are not a necessity and with these distractions how can someone truly enjoy nature. The road is very big and the traffic on it disturbs nature to a great extent. With roads and technology when do you stop—when there is no nature left?

            Thoreau stated, “…so occupied with faction cares and superfluously course labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them.” (p. 350) this again ties into Abbey’s question of “how much is enough?” Is luxury worth the price the human race pays—a life without true nature enjoyment. In Thoreau’s novel Walden he proves that luxury is not a necessity in life nor is it a true outlet of happiness. A life of simplicity will lead to true happiness and a prosperous life in nature and the wildlife among it.

            A prominent nature issue is deforestation. This issue does not follow the rule of moderation and also plays along with Abbey’s problem—how many trees had to be cut down in order to make that road? The amount of trees cut down each day in the United States is the size of Panama. It is true that trees are used for many things in modern day life but they should be used in moderation. If this problem continues there will be no trees left—do we want to discover a solution after the demise of trees or while we still have some left on the planet?

            On the other hand who decides how much is in moderation and what is the definition of simplicity? For many people moderation would be the amount of trees cut down daily—there could be a lot more cut down. Simplicity for many people however would be where this argument crumbled. Simplicity is made by the development of new technology. The smart phones and other portable devices give people the world at their fingertips. They don’t need to go across the country to see a national park they can see pictures and videos on their portable device. Many would not see the problem with that.

            Personally I feel that there is middle ground on the issue. With the smart phones and other technology it is true that life is simpler but what are we truly getting from that (maybe twenty pounds heavier than previous generations?). I think that technology is important to be happy in life but I don’t think everything we have is a necessity. I think we need technology but we also need to truly embrace nature. I don’t think this is impossible with all the cool gadgets we have lately. For a life of true happiness a relationship needs to be created between technology and nature.

What is Love

            The general argument made by Helen Fisher in her work What is Love? Is that love is a chemical reaction in the brain. More specifically, certain emotions have certain networks in the brain. She Writes, “Lust the craving for sexual gratification is associated primarily with testosterone in both men and women.” (pg.334)  Love has to do with heightened brain activity and that is why when people are in love they find that they are thinking obsessively about their love. In this passage, Fisher is suggesting that love is fate as it is often portrayed in fairy tales it is a chemical reaction in the brain that has to do with sexual gratification. In conclusion it is Fisher’s belief that love has to with the brain and not the heart.

            In my view Fisher is wrong because when someone loves someone they do not just want sexual gratification they want happiness. More specifically happiness for one they love and to share in that happiness with them. Love is not about having sex it is about caring for another more than yourself and truly loving to be with them no matter what you are doing. Although Fisher might object that sexual gratification is important in a relationship because it is human nature I maintain that love is caring for someone else the way Fisher describes love sounds more like lust to me rather than true love. Therefore\ I conclude that while the chemical reactions in your brain are cause for the way you feel when you are in love, sexual gratification is not love it is lust.

Cultural Activity

1.      What play or musical did you attend?

a.       On April 1, 2012 I went to a showcase concert featuring three songs, “Suite for solo cello no. 3 in C major, BWV 1009,” by J.S. Bach. “Sonata for violin and Piano in A Major, op. 100” by Johannes Brahms, and “Piano trio in E-flat Major op. 1 no.1” by Ludwig van Beethoven. This concert was at the University Of Utah School Of Music and the performers were Elliot Cheney, Ralph Matson, Heather Conner, and Stephen Emerson.

2.      Give a summary of the description of the works you heard. (150 words)

a.       The works I heard in my mind fall under the classical genre. Beethoven is the very thing that comes in my mind when I think of this genre, because he was such a talented and prominent performer and composer of his time period.  The piano is also associated with classical music but surprisingly the first song did not feature the piano only the Cello. This piece was performed by Elliot Cheney and I was shocked because I was honestly expecting this to be a piano recital. This song was in minor and very depressing to listen to. This song also sound nasally and dark—what a combination. The second song was pretty similar but it had four movements that shifted from major to minor. It was a little bit more upbeat than the first song but it was quite similar which made me feel depressed just listening to it. The third song was much happier than the others thank goodness.

3.      Would you say this was a poor /fair /good /high quality performance? Why? Justify your answer. Did you notice any mistakes or problems?

a.       I would consider this a fair concert. Given that this was a concert that would be hard to pull off. To perform songs of some of the three most prominent composers of the classical period would be very challenging. I just did not feel the energy in the performers. This told me they were not having fun and that always detracts the performance in my eyes. The instruments also sounded funny to me. This was especially true with the cello. I don’t know if it was because I am just not used to the cello but I did not enjoy the sound. I am not a music expert and do not play an instrument but it almost sounded to me that the cellos ere out of tune. As the performer was running the bow across the strings it sounded harsh. I don’t know but I like it when music is smooth and flowing not harsh and brittle.

4.      What did you find out about the background of the works, composers, artists, or others connected with this production? (100 words)

a.       The artists in this performance were faculty in the music department of the University of Utah. The composers of the songs performed are what is the coolest about this performance. The three composers are J.S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms. J.S. Bach lived from 1685-1750 in Ernestine Saxon Duchies. In his lifetime Bach is said to have composed over on thousand pieces of music. Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most known composers of his time. He is especially regarded because he composed his music even though he was deaf.  He lived from 1770 to 1827. Finally, Johannes Brahms lived from 1833 to 1897.

5.      What was your personal reaction to this performance? (250)

a.       My personal reaction to this performance was a little bit negative. Although I realize this would an incredibly hard concert to put I just felt like it could have been better. I know that sounds awful because I could never play the instruments featured at this concert let alone any of the songs that were played. The songs that were played were by Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven. These are some of the greatest composers ever. Without them I do not think that music could be where it is today. But even though this would be hard to perform it would be hard to say that this performance was good enough to feature these three great composers. I do not if the performers were nervous or maybe they just did not rehearse enough but something was not right with this performance. I have said before that I thought it was the instruments they did not sound like they were in tune. I do not know how to tell that however but they did not sound right they were very harsh especially the cello. In my music class we learned that instruments do not well in the cold and the room was a little chilly so I began to wonder if that was why the instruments did not sound right. But all I know is that it did not want to listen to the first song anymore it kind of resembled nails on a chalk board and not only that it was very depressing, This was over all not a terrific performance.

6.      Would you recommend this performance or musical group to others? Why or Why not? (100 words)

a.       I would recommend the songs and composers in this concert because they were so prominent and important in their time. I would not however suggest this performance. Given that the performers were not professional musicians or famous. But it was just no up to par and therefore not that enjoyable. I was expecting it to be more enjoyable and fun I guess than it was. I do however feel that if the instruments were better the performance would have been a lot better. The instruments sounded out of tune and that is not a fun thing to listen to. 

7.      Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? /why or Why not? (100 words)

a.       I would not enjoy attending an event like this again. I mean it was a thing that kind of enlightens someone but there are just so much better things that could be done in the hour and half that the concert went on. I felt like I could have been doing homework or watching Dirty Dancing. Unfortunately I have a SLCC Music 1010 class where unfortunately I have do five of these. I have only one left but it is still kind of disappointing to think that I have to sit through another one of these again this will be the fifth within at least two months that is a lot of classical music concerts!

Quran

“Some faces, that Day, will be humiliated, Laboring (hard) weary,--The While they enter the Blazing Fire,--The while they are given, to drink, of a boiling hot spring, No food will there be for them but a bitter Dhari’ Which will neither nourish nor satisfy hunger.” (pg. #263) This quote from, The Holy Qur’an seemed very harsh to me. I couldn’t help but wonder while I was reading this if they believe that god is merciful I don’t see him doing this to sinners. Merciful means forgiving, kind, and loving. I do not believe that God would ever punish sinning humans in this way because they are only humans. This part of the Holy Qur’an did not make a lot of sense to me and it was very different to my beliefs and how the end will come.

My personal belief is that god will allow every human to choose him when judgment day comes. Those who do choose him will live forever on everlasting earth and those who do not choose him will sleep forever. I do however like most of the Holy Qur’an most of it is very common with any god-fearing person and what they would follow. I do not however agree with the way they treat women because I also do not believe that God would ever think that women are less than men and that is the vibe that I get from the Muslim religion.

Damhapada

1.      “For those who are unsteady of mind, who do not know true Dharma, and whose serenity wavers, wisdom does not mature.”

a.       I would not consider my mind and therefore my emotion. My body is constantly depressed and sluggish so my mind and my wisdom are not maturing due to the fact that anxiety and depression lead me to think of how awful I feel inside and all over rather than the great thinks I have in life and the great people around me. I took this quote as a sign telling me to accept the fact that I cannot always be happy but if I spend more quality time with friends and family I might be a little better.

2.      “Don’t speak harshly to anyone; what you say will be said back to you, hostile speech is painful, and you will meet with retaliation.”

a.       I would not consider myself but I would consider myself angry and I accept the fact that I have a short temper. This quote directly to me because I quite often used harsh language towards others to express my anger but the things I say are very cruel and if I could allow myself to cool down I could calmly talk to a person without using profane or cruel language if I could accomplish this I would be much more fun to be around.

Path to Enlightment

            The Buddha’s path for enlightenment sounded like a very harsh and glorifying experience. The path started with the realization that the life of a wealthy prince may sound great because he had servants to everything for him but he realized that this did not make him any different when it came to health, injury, and death. These made him start to think that he needed to find the way to enlightenment and live a life free of death. This was not a quick and easy path however.

            He went to visit five monks to continue his path and share his knowledge but he was not greeted the respectful way. This was very surprising and the monks did not respectfully greet him until completion of the path when he had accomplished the deathless life. The path he had to take was not made any easier because of these monks but eventually they embrace the fact that he did find the way to deathless life.

            The path mainly consisted of suffering. The passage exemplifies that suffering is one of the five clinging objects, which is one of the five things that must be rid of to complete the path. Hunger is the way the he embraced this on his path. He was extremely emaciated but he survived and he found the way to become with your body and let go of the pain he felt from suffering and this led him to complete his path to enlightenment.

Tao Te Ching

1.      “Over-fulfillment: Keep filling your bowl and it will spill over. Keep sharpening you knife and it will blunt. Keep hoarding gold in your house and you will be robbed. Keep seeking approval and you will be chained. The Great Integrity level lead to actualization, never over-fulfillment.”

a.       This quote applies to me because I am searching for more I can never be happy with what I have. This is especially true at work. I am only seventeen and I am the manager at my job because I love the way it feels to have praise for the hard work I put in. But soon I will have nowhere else to move up in the company and that truly scares me because I need appreciation to feel important and needed anywhere in my life and without it I have found that it makes me very unhappy.

Myths

Hebrew Bible, Genesis:

1.      What do you notice about the role of female figures? What’s the name of Noah’s wife?

a.       Female figures in The Bible are treated like typical females throughout time. The women are the homemakers while the men are the bread winners and are often the head of the household and in control.

b.      Noah’s wife’s name is never given in The Bible which exemplifies the fact about the role of female figures.

2.      What is the nature of Adam’s relationship to God? Of Adam’s relationship to Eve? How does this conflict?

a.       God created Adam so in turn god is his holy father and he will treat as so.

b.      Eve is his wife and he does not treat her the way women were treated in history. Eve is Adam’s partner in crime and he went against god because of his wife.

c.       They conflict because Adam went against his creator and father to listen to his wife.

3.      How does god behave toward man?

a.       God behaves as a father. Humans are his children who he punishes if they do wrong. This is why he flooded the Earth when they are misbehaving.

Reflect and Connect #5

    




          The art critique helped me to appreciate that kind of work. I am often not the kind of person who enjoys the typical kind of art I like movies much better but the museum truly surprised. It made me realize the fact that art is a great form of expression for many around the world. It was a lot of fun to walk around the museum and critique the art to see what pieces I truly enjoyed. It was really funny but after my first real museum experience I had the chance to go the high school art exhibit in Springville, UT and I truly enjoyed myself.

Hudson River School Painters

            The Hudson River School was a government funded school of American Art. The artists of the Hudson River School were paid by the government to travel west and create art using the landscape of the West. The purpose of this was to inspire Americans to travel west. The Hudson River School used romanticism within their paintings because within the paintings they did not include Indians, people, or animals. Because of this the West was very appealing and it created a myth about the West. These paintings helped to prove that America had one that Europe did not Wilderness. People often fantasize about untamed wilderness and living within that. The Hudson River Painters helped that dream blossom within the minds of many Americans.

Thomas Cole: The Oxbow

            Thomas Cole was born in Lancashire England. He immigrated to the United States in 1818. Cole discovered his love for wilderness at a young age and began to paint what he saw. The Oxbow is in Connecticut which not West at all but was a great example to Cole of the power and tranquility of nature. The rain clouds in the background prove the power which nature holds and the untamable force it possesses. This painting portrayed the ideals of the Hudson River Painters by showing nature rather than the people within it. Cole wanted to show the power of nature which he did by the rain clouds but more importantly by water. In a majority of the Hudson River School Painting water is present this was a way the painters used to show the force and unrelenting power of nature.

Thomas Cole: Romantic Landscape

            Romantic Landscape by Thomas Cole has several elements that are within many of the Hudson River School painting. Some of these elements include, water, broken wood, large rain clouds, and mountains. Each of these elements helped Cole portray the way he saw nature. He saw nature as an almighty force that should be preserved and respected. This was an ideal that the Hudson River Painters shared with Transcendentalists and Romantics.  This era was important to nature because it was the beginning of government involvement. This is because due to a Hudson River Valley student Yellow Stone became a national park along with many other areas. The Romantic Landscape is a good example of untouched nature which was an element that was often portrayed in these paintings.

Rainy Season in the Tropics

            Rainy Season in the tropics was created by Frederic Edwin Church in 1866. This picture contains many of the elements that the other Hudson River Valley paintings have. The most important of these is the waterfall. This painting is so beautiful and the most important and influential part of it is the waterfall. The waterfall portrays power along with the beauty of nature. Church was very influential with this painting from South America because it showed nature in a tropical way which many Americans had never experienced.

            The Hudson River Painters and the art they created were very inspiring. They helped create a relationship with humans and nature that helped to create preservation. Because of The Hudson River Painters and many others we get to experience nature with national parks. The Hudson River Painters and the work they created reminded me of The Peach Blossom Spring by T’ao Ch’ien. This is because the poem is about a town that “had lost all communication to the outside world.” (pg. 344) The Hudson River Painters were painting The West which had not been exposed to the outside world.

Easter's End

            The general argument made by Jared Diamond in his work, Easter’s island is that people can destroy a complete paradise on Earth because of the disrespect they give land and nature. This work was about Easter’s Island a beautiful and spacious island that any man would be lucky to live on and cherish. More specifically, Diamond presents that fact that the destruction was not a quick thing it happened over a long period of time. He writes, “The forest the islanders depended on for rollers and rope didn’t simply disappear one day—it vanished slowly over decades. This is true with many places around the world. Human beings will often not realize what they are doing to the Earth and their land for their own progression. This is exactly what happened on Easter Island. In Diamond’s description of Easter he also wrote, “…blessings should have made Easter a miniature paradise.” The islanders could not recognize this however because they were stuck in their present rather than looking to the future.  In conclusion it is Diamond’s view the presence of humans and our society may very well turn the entire earth into and Easter Island and our existence could end up being just as much as a mystery.

            In my view Diamond is wrong because people learn from their mistakes and they will look at Easter Island as an example. Furthermore in recent years human beings are doing more to protect the environment. No one in the time period of Easter Island realized what consequences come with their actions. Even though Diamond might argue that people repeat history I maintain that they will use Easter Island as an example to show that it is important to protect Earth. Even though it might take a long time to do this it is important that people are beginning to notice the problems occurring and I do not think it is too late. Therefore I conclude that the human race is smart enough not to allow the Earth to become a greater example of the problems and mysteries faced with Easter Island and their existence.

Art Critique

1.      Which museum did you visit?

·         University of Utah

2.      In 150 words describe at least one of the broad collections on a theme, period, geographic region, or topic within the museum.

·         One of the collections in the museum is “Art of Utah and the West.” This collection consists of landscape paintings that portray the West when it was wild and untamed.  When I in the museum this collection reminded me a lot of the Hudson River painters and the art they created. Especially considering the fact that the paintings in the museum and the art they created were of the same place. The Wild West and unsettled land are both consistent in these paintings. The paintings in this collection also had a lot of horses and cabins. This is another aspect of the west that was often accepted a long time ago. These paintings were more water paintings rather than oil or other types of paintings. I really enjoyed this collection even though it was not very large it was very interesting to me and I found them very artistic and I thought the artists were very talented.

3.      Give a brief, one paragraph (100 words) description of a special exhibit.

·         One of the special exhibits in the museum is “At Work: Prints from the Great Depression.” This exhibit was very inspiring to me because it portrayed the labor intrusive work men and women went through to provide for their family in a long stretch of economic turmoil. One of these pictures reminded me so much of my dad because my dad has no education but has always done hard, life threatening tasks to put food on the table. I have often seen my parents and grandparents do whatever it takes to keep us safe, happy, and healthy and when I was looking at this exhibit I truly related to the pictures and could feel the worker’s pain and worry.

4.      What kind of information is provided about the works? Tell me three places you might find more detailed information that doesn’t include the web.

·         The origin, type of artwork, the title, and the authors name.

·         You can find more information in a tour, an artist’s collection of works, or an information desk.

5.      Choose several works that particularly appeal to you. Explain why you were drawn to these works. Comment on the subject, style medium, time period, etc. Who were the artists? (500)

·         The first work that particularly stood out to me was a picture of a chalkboard that has “America” written on the top and then a very witty description of the country. I don’t know why this was so appealing to me but I guess during election time America is a very important topic and is very appealing. It is also great in my eyes to see someone stand up for America especially when the past few years of our existence have not been great but it was very inspiring. This is called “How do you spell America?” and the artist is Willie Cole. The second picture that appealed to me was one that I could not look at. The foreground was desert and the background had mountains. There is a car in the middle of the picture and it was very cool because it was by the mountains and the desert and it was in this blank space and it hit me. Here this car was completely by itself around two different kinds of nature and it is the only thing in this barren place. This picture is called, “Chrysler Newport, Bonneville Salt Flats, 1992,” and the photographer is Richard Misrach. Another piece that stood out to me was a sculpture. This sculpture is called, “Discarded Memories” and the artist is Chakaia Booker.  I was so intrigued by this piece because it looked like the artist combined random pieces of metal to make this beautiful piece of art. Some of the parts used reminded me of something that would be found in an old car’s engine. And when I considered the name of the sculpture I came to the conclusion that one of the discarded memories was the artist’s first car. This is because your first car you remember but you do not keep it forever.  This sculpture was one of the most interesting pieces of art I have ever seen. One of the other pieces that stood out to me was a statue named, “Ethnic Man.” This piece was created by Viola Frey. This piece was so appealing to me because the statue reminded so much of Denzel Washington. It was shocking to me how much the statue resembled him especially in “Renaissance Man.” It was so shocking to me that I couldn’t even look at the statue without picturing Washington and imagining parts of movies he had been in. I was a little disappointed however because I was not supposed to get Washington out of it. I should have seen the struggle African Americans have gone through but instead I saw Denzel Washington. But I guess that is okay because I did enjoy the piece of art. Finally, another great piece that inspired me was an old photograph of two women talking to each other. This picture reminded me of immigrant workers from Austria or Ireland and it especially reminded of a really old television shows, “Rich Man, Poor Man.” This is because the main character’s family immigrated to the United States and the stern faces on the women in this photo by, Helen Levitt. You can see the worry and frustration in these women’s faces and it is up to the viewer to decide why. I thought this was a great photograph and I looked at it for quite a long time and just thought about the meaning behind it.

6.      How did the artworks you looked at relate to the material we have discussed in class? (150)

·         The artworks I looked at played along very closely with our current unit, wildlife. Several paintings that I saw were paintings of beautiful landscapes. I feel like painters love to create nature scenes because nature is so beautiful. Nature is a wonderful thing and so many people throughout history have tried so hard to preserve, protect, and enjoy nature. The nature painting I saw reminded me a lot of the Hudson River Valley Painters because several of their works helped to preserve nature and create an interest in other people. One of the paintings reminded me a lot of the visual created in “Fable for Tomorrow” from, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. This painting was a landscape portrait of a Western town that showed the men, women, and children all working together. Wildlife is a theme often used in artwork because it is delightful to look at and for everyone to enjoy.   

7.      What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or Why not? (100)

·         My personal reaction to this experience was surprise. I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the museum. I am often not the kind of person who enjoys activities like this. I enjoy sitting at home watching movies and do not enjoy going out and looking at art. But I truly enjoyed attending the museum and would love to go again. Not only did I have fun but just attending the museum but I was beginning to realize that this was a cultural experience and by going to a museum I was being active in my community, I was very proud.

Fable for Tomorrow

              "A Fable for Tomorrow" by Rachel Carson is about a beautiful town. This town is and the people in it are one with nature. She writes, “…lived in harmony with its surroundings.” (pg. 371) But an evil came to this town that ruined the harmony. This evil came to the town and nature and animals started dying off. The plants would not grow and the animals would not feed. This evil ruined this town and the harmony and happiness that used to be a part of it. This was not a real town however just a simple example used by Carson in her book Silent Spring.

            “A Fable for Tomorrow,” is a section out of Rachel Carson’s novel, Silent Spring. Carson wrote this novel in order to provide an example of mosquito repellent on nature. The mosquito repellent she was trying to portray is DDT. Carson was worried about the effect this would have on birds and other species of the planet. Not only was it dangerous to animals but also to humans. This story helped Carson save the environment from DDT and discontinue its usage. I was very surprised to read Rachel Carson because we learned about her In A.P. U.S. history and there was a question about her on the test. I do not have a personal response about nature that goes along with this but I do have one about Rachel Carson. Last year in A.P U.S. I was very delighted to read and learn about Margaret Thatcher and Rachel Carson. I think that their work helped women be in the place they are today and that is very important to me.

Polemic: Industrial Tourism and National Parks

            The general argument made by Edward Abbey in his work Polemic: Industrial Tourism & National Parks is that he growing industry in outdoor recreation is threatening national parks along with nature itself. More specifically, Abby argues that increased profits and growth should not subject national parks to unfair treatment from Washington. The point of national parks is the preservation of nature, not to make money or serve tourists. He writes, “…the greater the quantity of traffic, the higher the value received.” (pg. 387) I this passage, Abbey is suggesting that national parks are for preservation and they should not be altered for human enjoyment or profit. In conclusion, it is Abbey’s belief that national parks should not be changes for any reason, especially profit or accessibility.

            In my view, Abbey is wrong because parks are meant for human enjoyment, national parks do strive for preservation but there would be no purpose of preservation if people did not have the chance to enjoy the park, this way people can enjoy and see nature the way it used to be. For example, places such as Yellowstone and Arches allow children to see nature with little distractions that are present within a city environment. Although, Abbey might object might object that nature is not preserved the way it used to be with so much human involvement and the building of roads I maintain that national parks help people recognize the importance of nature. Therefore I conclude that national parks should be readily available to those who want to enjoy nature.

Wildlife in American Culture

       The general argument made by Aldo Leopold in his work "Wildlife in American Culture" is that nature is important to the formation and make up of culture. More specifically, Leopold argues that wildlife has a large affect on America's culture in various areas. He writes, "Suffice it to say that by common consent of thinking people, there are cultural value in the sports, customs, and experiences, which renew contacts with wild things." (pg. 372) In this passage, Leopold is suggesting that wildlife is important to American culture and is the very thing holding it together. In conclusion, it is Leopold's belief that the preservation of wildlife and nature is very important.

            In my view, Leopold is right because nature has always shaped how people eat, live, and look. For example, it is only recently that people have used other materials besides animals to clothe themselves. Before recently when hunting was necessary all of the animal was used for all materials even clothing. Although, Leopold might object that there is still wildlife present in out culture I maintain that its importance is quickly fading from American life. Therefore I conclude that the importance of wildlife in American culture is fading in America's eyes but is still equally important and it must be preserved.