Final Papers: Cervantes

My final paper for this class was not emblematic of anything, except perhaps the fact that I was unable to focus. I am sure my grade will suffer as a result of my non-existent argument in this final paper. This non-connectedness, however, was not entirely my fault.

While writing this paper, (I was right in the middle of the "establishing my argument" introduction portion) I was informed that my father (who lives in Tennessee) was admitted to the hospital for suffering from a heart attack. As overcome with worry as I was, I still proceed to write my paper, as I got to the middle (quoting other educated professionals on the topic to prove my point) I was informed that he had suffered another mild heart attack while in the hospital. As I moved on to quote another critic and relate all this to the overall theme of my paper, I was informed that my father had a blood clot that moved and filled his lungs with fluid. And, finally, as I was sitting on pins and needles awaiting the call to tell me if the operation of implanting the first stint in his artery was successful-- I concluded my paper on Don Quixote. Needless to say, my final paper may not have been as impressive as I was hoping.

However, the thing to remember about this class is this: Don Quixote is a great read. Yes, it is long. But, it is funny. very funny. try it. you'll like it.

Final Papers: Intro to Graduate Study

I finished my final paper, with a short extension granted by the professor due to my family emergency. It was on the topic of Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler which I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading. I discussed in my final paper how Calvino uses the second person pronoun "you" to draw the reader into the story, essentially making him or her a character.

This was my first taste of Calvino and I have been very impressed. Next quarter, I am enrolled in the Calvino class-- and looking forward to it!

Week 3: Cervantes

I was out sick.

I'm really frustrated with being sick. And it is unfortunate that I had to miss a class I enjoy because I overworked myself with my 12 hours of work and my coughing was out of control. I am sure the others in the class are glad I wasn't there to annoy/infect them. I am looking forward to next week. Hopefully I am better.

Week 3: Intro to Graduate Study

This week we discussed critical approaches to literature and how developing our interpretive skills allow us to grow as a reader. This was actually a great discussion, and I would have liked to participate, if for no other reason than to argue the opposing point (that all this interpretation is BS). But, instead I coughed.. and coughed... and coughed... and left early.

Week 2: Cervantes

We discussed, at length, Daphnis and Chloe. It is an old Greek novel which illustrates a pastoral love story of two very naive teenagers.

Also I think I may have agreed to give my 20 min presentation on this topic. Oops.

Week 2: Intro to Graduate Study

I am still sick. I coughed the whole time. We discussed Northanger Abbey. During the break everyone gave me suggestions on what to do to stop coughing. I'm sick of suggestions, and death stares.

Paper Due : Monday October 3rd. Topic-- Northanger Abbey  -- Ugh.

Week 1: Cervantes

Our 45 minute introductory class covered the following:

1. passing out the syllabus
2. there are 2 class dates we need to make up b/c the prof will be out of town
3. writing trivial facts about ourselves on note cards

End of class. See you next week.

Week 1: Introduction to Graduate Study

So, I am finally taking the only required course for MALit students. Basically this course is designed to introduce you to writing research/term papers and reading novels. Probably would have made sense to take this class first-- but since they only offer it in Fall and I started in Winter, I have completed 4 classes (term papers and all) before taking this one. Oh well.

The first week was just introductions. Basically, I sat in the room coughing up a lung (bronchitis) and assuring everyone that I was no longer contagious. We have to read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen for next week. I have already read it, I didn't enjoy it. I have started it again-- still not thrilled. Hopefully I get through this first round of boring female writers so I can move on to other more interesting (though, in the case of our next book, highly over-taught ) literature.

Other observations from the first week;
1. not as many in this "required" class as I was expecting
2. when asked, " what do you read?" everyone in this program is such a ridiculous snob, listing high brow literature by famously difficult authors-- right..  you read that on your ipad at the beach ---liar.

Week 4: Beats

This week we discussed the differences between the actual Beat generation and the Beatnik which was an exploited version of the stereotype, as seen above. Our professor showed us multiple examples (including this one) of poorly associated literature covers claiming to be part of the Beat movement. Silly.

We then discussed jazz, Jack Kerouac and spontaneous prose. It was beautiful and frustrating at the same time. I read The Subterraneans as it was intended, quickly, and as if listening to a great jazz performance. I enjoyed it. I did not overly examine the use or misuse of punctuation, nor did I mark notes in my margins examining each word. Come on people, don't you listen to jazz, don't you read for pleasure? Don't you do anything other than try to be perfect academic intellectuals? Ugh!

Meanwhile, my response paper this week which discussed how this book was written as a jazz performance, and was meant to be read that way?.... A+ bitches. A+.

Week 4: Inferno

Last night, we discussed the structure of Hell. The Circles of Hell are as follows:
1. Limbo
2. Lust
3. Gluttony
4. Greed
5. Anger
6. Heresy
7. Violence
8. Fraud

Thus,  murders are in the 7th circle, while fraudulent investment bankers-- yeah, they are down there at the bottom. ;)

Week 3: Beats

On the Road. We discussed the "hatred" for Dean Moriarity, the mis-treatment of women as they are portrayed in the story and the overwhelming since of the road being for men only.

I disagree.

After class I said, " I think I read a different book." I love Dean's character, the fact that he is wild, and out of control and aimless reminds me of my youth, draws you in to his experience and makes the story enjoyable. I was not struck with any mis-treatment of women, nor was I annoyed by their portrayal. Yes, Dean leaves several women along the way, and yes, they aren't always spoken of in the best manner--  but the story is essentially a story of male friendship. And, when boys are with each other, in their little group, they don't refer to women in the politically correct sense, and who cares? Also, the "road" isn't for men only-- this story just happened to be written by an author relaying his own life with his friends.

And, at the end of class we discussed how our professor would like us to read  the next Kerouac book-- he wants us to READ it. Not, "close read" it. No notes in the margins, no pre-typed paragraphs of witty interesting things to say in class... you know just-- read the damn book.

Finally! That's what I always do. It's about time we cut the bull sh*t. This is a class about the Beat Generation.

Week 3: Inferno

We learned a lot of historical information this week. I was very tired, and thirsty (forgot my water). But, we covered Cantos 6-10, which is the Third-Fourth circle of Hell. These circles include the sins of gluttony, heresy and greed. 

As always, we got to see some artwork and learned about the area of Florence and Tuscany. (which I really enjoy and am looking forward to seeing)

Our professor told us of the chamber of the Nine Priors, also known as the room of good and bad government, in which the very large fresco depicts good government on one side vs. bad government on the other. Hopefully, Dave and I get to see this when we are in Tuscany.

Vocabulary

I should probably sit down and read the Dictionary from cover to cover. Why? I have found that despite my extensive background with English literature and reading, I am at a slight disadvantage when it comes to my Graduate Lit courses. Basically, when I speak in class I sound like an idiot.

The problem, I think, is rooted in the fact that I have not used these skills since graduating from Muskingum. That was almost a decade ago. I am not a High School English teacher, nor am I a Community College Professor. I don't study this material closely, and teach it, every day. I haven't looked at most of it for 10 years.

Others in my classes are either teachers, or professional students. They say brilliant things in class, examine the works closely and say remarkably well articulated comments.

They say things like, " What I found remarkable about this line in the poem was the use of juxtaposition between the conformity of American society in the heterosexual, nuclear family sense and the misogynistic viewpoint towards the suburban lifestyle and women."

It's not that I don't understand the words. They are not above my understanding, it's just that... well..

I say things like, " I related to this section of the poem where he talks about banks, because I work for an investment bank."

See the difference? I'm an idiot. Every time I speak up, my face turns hot, and I spend the rest of the class paranoid that I say the stupidest things-- and that I should just quit the class. Yet, I appear to be doing well thus far with the response papers. So, there's that. 

Week 2: Beats

As expected, we discussed Allen Ginsberg and his poems, "Howl" and "America" during class. Throughout our class discussion we focused on particular lines-- giving them a "close reading"-- which is just a fancy way English people say they are focusing on every word and applying meaning. 

Our class is also centered around the concept of the Beat movement as a reaction to the dominant culture of the 1940s and 1950s. Related to this we are exploring the American identity through the various subject positions people occupy. (subject positions relate to race, gender, class, etc.) 

Next week, we move on to On the Road.

Week 2: Inferno

This week we read Cantos 1-5 and discussed the first ring of hell (reserved for carnal sinners engaged in acts of lust etc.)

We discussed the story of Francesca and Paolo, two lovers cast into hell for their adulterous lust. In the story, Francesca is married to one of two brothers, Gianciotto. One night she and Gianciotto's brother, Paolo are reading the famous story of Lancelot and Guinevere, when, they are consumed by the desire of each other and share a kiss. Later, Gianciotto discovers the pair together and murders them both.

In Dante's creation, the pair is eternally bonded together in hell, drifting upon the wind, as depicted in the picture below.

Week 1: Inferno

Florence, Italy

In the first few moments of our first class, I became overwhelmed with excitement. Our professor, an Italian native, with thick accent, exudes a familiarity with culture I long for. He explained he is a professor of Art History as well as Italian and Literature. So, basically perfect. 

He began the class session by showing us classical paintings, and discussion of what is the classification of a "classic". He followed by giving us a brief history of the Florence and Italy that Dante knew. This was particularly interesting, and will continue to be, as I will be visiting these places in a few months. 

Isn't Florence beautiful?

Week 1: Beats

During our first class, we listened to Allen Ginsberg reading his famous work, "Howl".  Our assignment afterwards was to read this poem, and related texts and create a short response paper, which will become part of the class discussion on the following Tuesday.

Spring Quarter: March 28, 2011

Below are the course descriptions for the two courses I will be taking this Spring.



Topics in Comparative Literature: Dante's Inferno

This course examines Dante's Inferno in its cultural, social and political context. In particular we will explore how the underground world imagined by the poet relates to late medieval urban life and culture. To this end we will study Dante's masterpiece alongside textual and visual documents of his age, including selections from major works of literature, political science, historiography and visual arts. Ample use will be made of audio-visual resources as well as of reading and in-class discussion. Counts toward the Comparative & World Literature specialization.

Special Topics: The Beats: Conformity and Aesthetics

In this course, we will be examining the process by which art grapples with political, moral, and sexual conformity. Amid the unparalleled material wealth of the immediate post-World War II era, America seemed locked into conflict with an implacable foe. The very definition of what it meant to be American was contested, and "UnAmerican" activities denounced, UnAmerican people blacklisted or worse. Yet artists and writers like William S. Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Diane DiPrima, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and others refused to conform, and produced art which interrogated and resisted the culture. We will read both seminal and less-famous works by Beat Generation authors in the context of Cold War ideology and literary aesthetics, with special concentration on the politics and processes of identity formation and subject position. Counts toward the American Literature specialization.

End of the First Quarter

The first quarter of graduate school is over, my final papers have been turned in and my stress level somewhat reduced. I shared the first three weeks of each class previously to give you a taste of my classes. If you have any interest in either please let me know, I am more than willing to share.

Summary of the Quarter:
I LOVED my Debord class. It spurred numerous quality conversations with friends, family and co-workers. It completely changed my life for the better. I hope to stay in touch with new friends and Professor Winston is truly an amazing woman. It was the most positive experience I have had in a long time, and this class confirmed that I am doing the right thing, following this literature thing for myself rather than business for my career.

My other class was ok. I enjoyed the readings, and will be looking into some new authors to explore for pleasure. I did finally open up a little in class and meet a few people, I am sure I will see them again as I progress in the program. In the end, I disappointed myself with this class. For our first paper, I wrote a B paper, and got the deserved B. I have been beating myself up about it ever since, and turned myself into a basket case trying to outdo myself for the final paper-- but still convinced that in my professors mind I am nothing more than a B student. *sigh. Had the class had more direction, or focused on a more concrete set of ideas, I think I could have been more interested and thus been able to write a decent paper, as it was, I still have no idea what the class was about.

I am looking forward to next quarter, which starts in 2 weeks. I'm enrolled in a class about the Beat generation and one about Dante's Inferno. Both should be interesting. Look for more soon.

Week 3: Globalization

Topics this week:

1960's Haight-Ashbury
The Doors
Theory of Simulacra and Simulation
The Parallax View

This should have been one of the most interesting classes in the world. As someone who is highly interested in cultural icons, there symbols and the interesting ways in which they enter our lives, I couldn't wait to jump in. But, frustration was the primary outcome.

I am frustrated with this class because we never make a point. We talk. Everyone talks. My notes are a mixture of "notes to self", thought bubbles, tally of how my times my professor mentions Bob Dylan (5 last week, 2 yesterday) doodles and word webs. Everyone says a lot of very interesting highly intelligent words, but never really says anything. I sit there convinced that it's all an elaborate hoax. Everyone is just speaking in circles, with extensive vocabulary, to accomplish nothing but impress upon everyone else that they are highly evolved intellectual beings. The urge to stand up and scream, "SERIOUSLY?!" is almost overwhelming. As a result I sit there silent. I will probably fail in participation points. But, this occurred to me....

We read an essay entitled, "The White Album" by Joan Didion -- great read, highly suggested! in which she describes an anti-climatic moment while witnessing The Doors record in a studio. She describes each member as a regular person, includes chit chat about this and that, nothing of any importance. She describes how they all have to wait on Jim Morrison to show up, but once he does no one acknowledges the fact that he has finally arrived. Eventually, she gives up and leaves with the sense that they would be there forever, doing nothing but being regular people.

Iconic image of Jim Morrison

Then, we watched a clip of The Doors performances during which the spirit of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll was at it's peak; Jim Morrison being arrested on stage, people protesting their lyrics, fans attacking him. You know, what you think of when you think of The Doors. What you see when you think Jim Morrison (bet it's the picture above, and some black leather pants)

I thought of how this plays into the theory of the symbol becoming the reality over the actual  reality. (the symbol of The Doors as a band vs. the members of the band as people) The clip of The Doors, wild and crazy, on drugs, being pure rock-n-roll, is what is reality to me (having not lived during this time period-- ) and I wish we still had it.

I enjoy the music of The Doors, and find Jim Morrison an interesting cultural iconic character. I enjoy the cultural and historical relevance of Morrison, just as I do The Beatles, Elvis and Michael Jackson. And I wonder what has happened to this type of cultural relevance. Are we left with Britney Spears and Katie Perry. (let's hope not)

This should have been a profoundly interesting class.

Week 3: Debord

Art. Our fundamental concept of art is the final product. When you think of art you are lead to an idea of a particular painting, a piece of music, a film. And, if you love culture and art as much as I do, you may reflect upon several experiences of enjoyment at various museums around the world.

See this (one of my favorites) at The Cleveland Museum of Art

(side note: Top Museums I've visited thus far: Louvre, MOMA, The Cleveland Museum of Art , The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago)

But that's not really art. That is our capitalist mindset separating art and showing us a product. Art is a process. I am sure you have learned this at some point in your lifetime, that art is not the final product but the process/adventure in which it was created.

The situationist believed we should all be experiencing this process of art, all the time, in every day life. I'm going to have to agree. I just need to figure out how to make it happen.


(And, I need to schedule a trip to the museum!)

Week 2: Globalization & Culture

This week we read:
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49
Fredric Jameson, Chapter 1: Postmodernism
Dwight Eisenhower, " Farewell Address"

Interesting ideas from the reading:
Eisenhower: I read this, 1961 Farewell Address in which Eisenhower warns us (the American people) of the dangers of what he refers to as the " military industrial complex". He expresses a warning of the great power and responsibility having this large military will warrant. As I read this address, I couldn't help but relate this to the Doomsday System/fall out shelter discussion from my other class. It is interesting that Eisenhower, a formal general, is warning us of the growth and power of the military. Also interesting, the time period of his address signifies a change in the use/size of the military. Previously, it had been reactionary, building as needed during conflict. At the time of his address, it had become a new, complex prepared in advance. In my lifetime-- our military forces have always been this way.

Jameson: I ran out of time, and couldn't finish this chapter of extremely dense reading. But I did get a few good points that I will be using for future readings for this class and others. Historical context is important for reading of literature, analysis of art, film etc. This is one of the "commandments" of literature analysis. Jameson explains that for a work of literature to be understood, you must look at it in the time period of it's creation to fully understand it. (this becomes relevant via example below.)

Pynchon: I truly enjoyed The Crying of Lot 49. It is one of those novels I have been aware of, and meaning to read for quite some time, but hadn't quite gotten to yet. It is the story of a woman who sets out on an adventure to discover many mysterious circumstances, and conspiracy of a post delivery system. While the novel is well known for its themes deeply enveloped in the concept of entropy, among other ideas, what stood out to me was the stamp/post delivery conspiracy. This, using the historical context of the late 60's (Jameson commandment) can be understood when the fact that the use of zip codes in the US had just been established, and people were concerned with the surveillance of their lives. Perhaps part of Pynchon's novel was meant to parody the current concern. (or maybe it was pastiche, but that is an entirely different, long topic.)

Week 2: Debord

 An interesting discussion class focused on the reading assignments. Below, an interesting portion of one such reading which demonstrates and exemplifies the fact that in a Capitalist society, we can be made to work and consume on the basis of a purely fictional "need". 

1950's advertisement for fall out shelters

From the Reading: Geopolitics of Hibernation:

It is easy to see that these (already widespread) individual shelters could not possibly work, if only because of such gross technical oversights as the absence of an independent oxygen supply; and that even the most sophisticated collective shelters would offer only the slightest possibility for survival if a thermonuclear war was actually accidentally unleashed. But here, as in every racket, “protection” is only a pretext. The real purpose of the shelters is to test — and thereby reinforce — people’s submissiveness, and to manipulate this submissiveness to the advantage of the ruling society. The shelters, as a creation of a new consumable commodity in the society of abundance, prove more than any previous commodity that people can be made to work to satisfy highly artificial needs, needs that most certainly “remain needs without ever having been desires” (Preliminaries Toward Defining a Unitary Revolutionary Program) and that do not have the slightest chance of becoming desires. The power of this society, its formidable automatic genius, can be measured by this extreme example. If this system were to go to the point of bluntly proclaiming that it imposes such an empty and hopeless existence that the best solution for everyone would be to go hang themselves, it would still succeed in managing a healthy and profitable business by producing standardized ropes. But regardless of all its capitalist wealth, the concept of survival means suicide on the installment plan, a renunciation of life every day. The network of shelters — which are not intended to be used for a war, but right now — presents a bizarre caricatural picture of existence under a perfected bureaucratic capitalism. A neo-Christianity has revived its ideal of renunciation with a new humility compatible with a new boost of industry. The world of shelters acknowledges itself as an air-conditioned vale of tears. The coalition of all the managers and their various types of priests will be able to agree on one unitary program: mass hypnosis plus superconsumption.


For the whole text go here: Geopolitics of Hibernation

This again, brought up the idea that we are all selling our time to work for the class of people Debord has designated as "the managers".

A question we were left with: If you try to think about it, if you hadn't as a child been guided by your parents in any variety of activities (piano lessons, dance lessons, french lessons, soccer, football, etc.) and then, reinforced into specific roles in the educational system, what, since the time you were a small child, would you have chosen to do with your time (your whole life), and who would you be now?

Week 1: Globalization & Culture

And so we begin digging into this broad idea of globalization and culture and what the relationship between the two is, and why, and what made the world change. We spent the first class discussing the broadness of the topic, getting to know our professor, and each other.

Now the work begins. We will be studying the effects of globalization and culture through various forms of cultural/art production including short novels, film and politically related essays/speeches with some forms of music, art etc mixed in. We are focusing our study in the time period of 1973 to the present.

This should be an interesting experience. And, a good pairing with my other (Debord) class.

Plus, I get to watch The Empire Strikes Back as a homework assignment.

Week 1: Debord

Tuesday Evenings 7-9:30 pm

Last night was my first night of class. I had those old "first day of school" jitters until we got started. Prior to the class I had purchased and read/skimmed most of the books. I was looking forward to learning more about the International Situationists. In my own reading ahead of time my conclusion was: What? I am not getting this, wait, I kind of understand that point, but, hmmm, hopefully everyone feels this way.

After my first class, thankfully, the 4 other women are in the same boat as me. We don't really get it, completely, yet. But, it is going to be a very interesting class.

We are going to dive into Debord/International Situationist cultural revolution ideals. Mainly these deal with a critique of Capitalism and what it has done to our lives as humans. They were writing this in the 1950s in France, but it is strange to see how we have developed since then.

The part that stood out the most to me in this first class what their ideal that people should be living for themselves, creating things to support/increase their own happiness rather than working hours a day at a job where the final outcome/product does not reflect you as an individual at all. Example: Barista at Starbucks works an 8 hour shift and at the end of the day what she has to show for her effort is a bunch of cups of coffee she couldn't care less about. I think this can be applied to most jobs in today's environment, and I often complain that it seems like no one is living their lives for themselves any more, rather we are all just following the crowd, creating more for everyone to consume... surviving rather than living. It makes me sad and frustrated on multiple levels.

Ironically, this thought process is exactly the reason I chose MA Lit instead of business school.

We also viewed a film by Debord expressing the IS views in Everyday Life (as above).

"The Passage of a Few Persons" Starring Debord himself (on the right)

While, yes, I couldn't help but inwardly roll my eyes at the fact that we were watching the quintessential  pretentious french independent art film, it was an interesting topic.

So tell me, Why do we waste so much of our lives working, creating nothing that holds any meaning to who we are as individuals?