With the decline of reading for pleasure in children and even adults, where do you see this heading? Is the decline really big enough to cause concern? Can people get enough information from other types of media to be able to make it in this world? If people are reading the materials necessary for their jobs and schooling, is it a must that they read for enjoyment?
I am wondering if we might not turn into a zombie world. Walking around as if lifeless, with no purpose at all. I was wondering about the world of literature and its impact on our society and I asked these questions: With the decline of reading for pleasure in children and even adults, where do you see this heading? Is the decline really big enough to cause concern? Can people get enough information from other types of media to be able to make it in this world? If people are reading the materials necessary for their jobs and schooling, is it a must that they read for enjoyment? My first question about the decline of reading in adults and children and where it is heading was answered by an article by the National Endowment for the arts. They say that people who don't read are less likely to participate in sports, go to museums, help with community projects, etc. When I did a survey and asked the same question about 60 percent agreed and 40 percent disagreed. Those that disagreed had pretty good thoughts on it. They said that they themselves weren't much on reading and that they still participated in sports activities and such. Those that did agree said that they participated in activities as well as reading and said that those who do not read much seemed more likely to not participate in social and extracurricular activities, but instead sit and watch television. My second question about cause for concern wasn't clearly answered. With all of those that do read out there, still millions, maybe there isn't cause to worry. Then I thought about those that do read and participate and those who just sit at home and do nothing but watch t.v. If those that do not participate in activities in community activities and such start to out number those that do, we just might have a world of zombies. People just might start walking around lost, not knowing how to interact with each other. When I surveyed people asking if they thought it was a bad thing if people read for leisure or not, it was about 50/50. I think to get a more concrete conclusion I would need to survey more people, only about 10 people answered my survey. I didn't ask why they thought it was a good or bad thing. But It came to my mind, why don't people read for leisure? Are the books out there boring? Are they hard to understand. I think with all of the books out there, we need to maybe dig deep sometimes to find ones that are enjoyable. There has to be some kind of book that appeals to each individual persons likes and dislikes. I think authors these days are trying to make their literature more enjoyable by making nice easy to read books, take Amy Tan for instance. She says, "at first I wrote using what I thought to be wittily crafted sentences, sentences that would prove I had mastery over the English language. " Later I decided I should envision a reader for the stories I would write" (Kennedy 135). I think that if we all dig deep maybe we can each find something that appeals to us so that we can keep reading alive. My other question about people getting the same information from other types of media was answered by Dana Goia (NEA) and he said that, "print culture affords irreplaceable forms of focused attention and contemplation that make complex communications and insights possible." So, yes you can get information you need, but the benefits of reading are much more. People are reading for their jobs, but it is not the same as reading for enjoyment. In short, if we don’t do something now, we may have a future where we are all just walking around like zombies lost on how to communicate with each other.
What do you think? Do you think that if we as individuals stop reading for leisure, we may lose our ability to communicate effectively with each other? How important is it to get children to read and keep them reading into their adult lives? Do you agree that reading gives us more than other media can?
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Blog 22 freestyle
In watching different clips of Othello on you tube I would have to say that the newer version of Othello, "O" is my favorite of the Othello movies. I think that I like its up to date language and story. I think that whoever wrote the movie "O" did a good interpretation of the original play. That said, of the clips that I watched of " Othello" on you tube that went along with the dialogue of the play I would say that the 1995 one with Laurence Fishburn was a good one. I guess it is because I am more into the newer movies with better sound, color and altogether visual appeal. It think it is great that they keep coming out with newer versions of plays like Othello, so that people like me who can't totally get the whole picture because the language holds us back, can at least get a better understanding of the play when we see it visually in film.
Blog 21: Othello scene Response
I watched scenes from different Othello's on you tube. I really enjoyed the clip of 1995's Othello with Laurence Fishburn. The clip in particular that I am talking about is the end of the play where Othello makes a last statement about his hurt in what happened with Desdemona. Othello talks about how he loved Desdemona to well. Laurence does a good job showing the pain that Othello feels in killing Desdemona. It is very heart felt and genuine. It is a very sad ending in the play, but watching it on film makes it resonate even more.
Blog 20: Quote response Othello
IAGO
She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And when she seem'd to shake and fear your looks,
She loved them most.
OTHELLO
And so she did.
IAGO
Why, go to then;
She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,
To seal her father's eyes up close as oak-
He thought 'twas witchcraft--but I am much to blame;
I humbly do beseech you of your pardon
For too much loving you.
OTHELLO
I am bound to thee for ever.
(Shakepeare 961)
I chose this quote because it just shows even more how Iago messes with Othellos head. He points out that Desdemona easily deceived her father in marrying Othello. He says that he is to blame for Desdemonas father thinking Othello used witchcraft on her. And then Iago is so good at playing on Othellos emotions by telling him that it was because he loved too much. When Othello says I am bound to thee forever it shows how much Othello trusts Iago and how easily it will be for Iago to keep manipulating the situation as he does keep doing. Even though it is still hard for me to understand quite a bit of this play because of the way it is written, the lines that Shakepseare uses are so powereful. And it just goes to show we are human and no matter what century we live in we all are to trusting at times and are easily swayed by what others we hold in high regard might say to us.
She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And when she seem'd to shake and fear your looks,
She loved them most.
OTHELLO
And so she did.
IAGO
Why, go to then;
She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,
To seal her father's eyes up close as oak-
He thought 'twas witchcraft--but I am much to blame;
I humbly do beseech you of your pardon
For too much loving you.
OTHELLO
I am bound to thee for ever.
(Shakepeare 961)
I chose this quote because it just shows even more how Iago messes with Othellos head. He points out that Desdemona easily deceived her father in marrying Othello. He says that he is to blame for Desdemonas father thinking Othello used witchcraft on her. And then Iago is so good at playing on Othellos emotions by telling him that it was because he loved too much. When Othello says I am bound to thee forever it shows how much Othello trusts Iago and how easily it will be for Iago to keep manipulating the situation as he does keep doing. Even though it is still hard for me to understand quite a bit of this play because of the way it is written, the lines that Shakepseare uses are so powereful. And it just goes to show we are human and no matter what century we live in we all are to trusting at times and are easily swayed by what others we hold in high regard might say to us.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Blog 16: Scene from O
The scene I chose was one between Hugo and Michael. It takes place after Michael gets in trouble for fighting with Roger. Hugo tells Michael that he needs to get Desi to talk Odin into helping him get back on the team. In the beginning of the conversation Hugo says to Michael, "Am I your boy? Am I your boy?" And he says yes. It just shows how good Hugo is at manipulating people. He makes them trust him and pretends that he is helping them for their own good. So then Hugo moves forward with his plan to take down Odin by telling Michael that he needs to hang out with Desi as much as possible to get her to talk to Odin for him. Michael is just wanting back on the team, he doesn't know that Hugo is setting him up to make Odin mad. Hugo is a great manipulator. I have never come across manipulation like this in my life, but I think there are many people out there just as manipulative as Hugo.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Blog 19: Freestyle
The Othello play is kind of heard to get into. The story itself is good enough, it is just that the words that are used are hard to comprehend. It does help that the meanings behind some of the words are at the bottom of the page, but it still kind of takes away from the story when you have to go back and forth so much like I do. I know that this is normal for a Shakespeare play, it is just kind of hard to get an understanding of what is going on at times. I can see where Shakespeare's work was like no one else's though.
Blog 18: Quote Response
Two things are to be done:
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I'll set her on;
Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: ay, that's the way
Dull not device by coldness and delay.
(Shakespeare pg. 953)
These lines that Iago says were pretty meaningful to me. With these words you know that his plot to break up Othello and Desdemona will most likely end badly. There is still a lot of the play left and this at the end of the second act tells me that what's to come out of this will not be good. It also shows the lengths that Iago will go to to break up Othello and Desdemona, his hate for Othello goes that far.
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I'll set her on;
Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: ay, that's the way
Dull not device by coldness and delay.
(Shakespeare pg. 953)
These lines that Iago says were pretty meaningful to me. With these words you know that his plot to break up Othello and Desdemona will most likely end badly. There is still a lot of the play left and this at the end of the second act tells me that what's to come out of this will not be good. It also shows the lengths that Iago will go to to break up Othello and Desdemona, his hate for Othello goes that far.
Blog 17: Trifles
MRS. PETERS (with a rising voice). "We don't know who killed him. We don't know."
MRS. HALE (her own feeling not interrupted.) "If there'd been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful--still, after the bird was still."
MRS. PETERS (something within her speaking). "I know what stillness is. When we homesteaded in Dakota, and my first baby died--after he was two years old, and me with no other then--"
MRS. HALE (moving). "How soon do you suppose they'll be through, looking for evidence?"
MRS. PETERS." I know what stillness is." (Pulling herself back). "The law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale."
MRS. HALE (not as if answering that). "I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang." (A look around the room). "Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?"
(Glaspell pg.818)
I chose these lines of dialogue out of Trifles because they seem to me a very powerful part of the play. It seems to me the women are realizing that Mrs. Wright very well could have committed murder, but they are trying to think of things that would cause her to be troubled enough to do that. When Mrs. Peters says, " I know what stillness is." I was given the idea that Mrs. Peters feels for Mrs. Wright in the fact that she seemed to live in nothing but stillness. When Mrs. Hale says, " I wish I'd come over here once in awhile! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?" I realized that Mrs. Hale realizes that Mrs. Wright may have committed murder and if she had been more of a friend to her and given her companionship Mrs. Wright would not have hung her husband. When I read "the law has got to punish crime Mrs. Hale," I did get a sense that Mrs. Peters is still a little hesitant on keeping the dead bird her and Mrs. Hale found a secret especially since she is the sheriff's wife. I did find it very interesting though, that they did at least want to keep the secret for the time being. That is a big secret to keep.
I thought the ending was interesting. It made you think about what might happen later. Since Mrs. Peters is a little more hesitant, I kind of imagined her spilling the beans in court or something and her husband being very ashamed that his wife did not come forward in the first place. And then Mr. Hale also not being happy with his wife for keeping things from him as well.
MRS. HALE (her own feeling not interrupted.) "If there'd been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful--still, after the bird was still."
MRS. PETERS (something within her speaking). "I know what stillness is. When we homesteaded in Dakota, and my first baby died--after he was two years old, and me with no other then--"
MRS. HALE (moving). "How soon do you suppose they'll be through, looking for evidence?"
MRS. PETERS." I know what stillness is." (Pulling herself back). "The law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale."
MRS. HALE (not as if answering that). "I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang." (A look around the room). "Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?"
(Glaspell pg.818)
I chose these lines of dialogue out of Trifles because they seem to me a very powerful part of the play. It seems to me the women are realizing that Mrs. Wright very well could have committed murder, but they are trying to think of things that would cause her to be troubled enough to do that. When Mrs. Peters says, " I know what stillness is." I was given the idea that Mrs. Peters feels for Mrs. Wright in the fact that she seemed to live in nothing but stillness. When Mrs. Hale says, " I wish I'd come over here once in awhile! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?" I realized that Mrs. Hale realizes that Mrs. Wright may have committed murder and if she had been more of a friend to her and given her companionship Mrs. Wright would not have hung her husband. When I read "the law has got to punish crime Mrs. Hale," I did get a sense that Mrs. Peters is still a little hesitant on keeping the dead bird her and Mrs. Hale found a secret especially since she is the sheriff's wife. I did find it very interesting though, that they did at least want to keep the secret for the time being. That is a big secret to keep.
I thought the ending was interesting. It made you think about what might happen later. Since Mrs. Peters is a little more hesitant, I kind of imagined her spilling the beans in court or something and her husband being very ashamed that his wife did not come forward in the first place. And then Mr. Hale also not being happy with his wife for keeping things from him as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)