La Linea Book Review Podcast

Click here for the podcast book review of La Linea.

Annotations

Bradbury, Ray. (2009). Ray Bradbury’s fahrenheit 451: the authorized adaptation. Ill: Tim Hamilton. New York, NY: Hill and Wang. 080905101X.

This graphic novel is an authorized adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. The story of Guy Montag, the firefighter who lives in a world where firefighters start fires, still follows Bradbury’s original character through his search for something more in his book-free world. Readers will enjoy the quick, deep read and beautiful illustrations that portray the ugliness of Guy’s world and the decisions he must make. All readers can enjoy this book as it does not require a previous reading of the original novel, yet it provides a new perspective to those who have already read it in its word form.

Bray, Libba. (2003). A great and terrible beauty. New York, NY: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers. 0385730284.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy Libba Bray’s first book in her Gemma Doyle trilogy. Set at Spence, a boarding school in Victorian England, this book follows Gemma, a spirited 16-year-old who spent her life in India, and her adjustment to English society after the death of her mother. Behind the prim, wife-making façade of Spence hides a magical world, a lost order and an old diary that helps Gemma understand her mystical visions. Readers will enjoy Gemma’s humor and courage in a school that teaches women to be quiet and subservient.

MacLeod, Elizabeth. (2008). Royal murder: the deadly intrigue of ten sovereigns. New York, NY: Annick Press. 1554511275.

MacLeod brings the history of more than ten murdered sovereigns to life with interesting text, authentic pictures and informational side panels. These stories span across more than 2000 years and dispel myths about some of the most famous and infamous monarchs that have ever ruled. Each story, however, ends with a fascinating, detailed account of the royal murder. MacLeod’s writing brings personality and character to each of these sovereigns and ensures their tragic ends will not become just a footnote in a history textbook.

San Souci, Robert. (1992). Sukey and the mermaid. Ill: Brian Pinkney. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. 0027781410.

Bright, colorful images frame this traditional Caribbean and West African folktale about Sukey, a black girl who lives on an island off the coast of South Africa. After escaping from her abusive stepfather, Sukey runs to the beach, sings a traditional song and calls forth the mermaid named Mama Jo. Mama Jo grants Sukey’s wishes about money, love and a safe place to live. Readers will enjoy the compassion and determination of Sukey along with the rich, rhythmic vernacular.

Film Adaptations in the Classroom

I really enjoy modern adaptations or allusions of old novels and I think it's a great way for students to really understand what is going on in a book if they can connect it to their modern worlds. I would use these film adaptations as pre-reading strategies. Films I might use:

O - Othello

Apocalypse Now - Heart of Darkness

Romeo + Juliet - Romeo and Juliet

Bridget Jones's Diary - Pride and Prejudice

Easy A - The Scarlet Letter

Clueless - Emma

Pleasantville - The Giver

Additionally, I think a great option for a project would be to make one of these modern adaptations of a novel. Students could brainstorm, write a script, storyboard and film, write, drawn or act out their modern adaptations in film, play, comic books, or digital storytelling. The students will have to investigate themes, characters and settings and analyze how they are still applicable to modern society.

Maus Response

I was really excited to read Maus. It was one of the books that I have always had on my list of books to read. I had never read graphic novels before, nor did I have much interest in reading them. I associate them with comic books, which I associate with super heroes. I have never had much interest in either of those. Maus was the first book that made me realize that there are more to graphic novels than I expected - it just took me years to finally pick up the book and read it.

I enjoyed the read: I read it very quickly in one setting. I don’t even recall flipping through it to see if the action picks up, as I often do with books. I had difficulty accepting that this book is a retelling of Spiegelman‘s father‘s true story. With the animal drawings and graphic novel format, it’s difficult for me to understand the content on a serious level. In a strange way, Maus reminded me of fables - stories which use animals to represent human actions and teach a moral. When using animals instead of humans, it seems to soften the blow of difficult topics. Seeing Vladek, Art Spiegelman’s father, starving, fearning for his life, hiding in small places and trying to continually come up with new ideas just to survive, as a mouse makes the story easier to read from a comfort-level position. All of those terrible circumstances were easier for me to digest because I did not see them happening to a human. The question, however, is - is that right? I am a believer in straight talk and being honest, so naturally, I tend to believe that this softening has done harm because I do not take the story as seriously. It is important to note, though, that this softening may be why the book has been so successful. It is a book I have seen many students pick up and read through the entire book. I believe the readers will learn about the Holocaust, the human condition and morality through this book. I believe they will be entertained and learn reading skills along the way. Perhaps, any book that will get students to read should not be given the scrutiny of “How I Would Change This Book.”

When looking at this book critically, I was very impressed by its use of genre. When reading graphic novels, sometimes I worry that they will just try to make an illustrated novel, instead of one that takes advantage of its medium. I believed Maus did this, especially as it is seen as a sort of pioneer for the genre. The illustrations showed plot advancements, such as the change in emotions, settings and action. It is user-friendly, as the reader never has to guess which decade she is in, what is going on, or how the characters feel about the circumstances of each section. These questions are all answered; however, the fantastic thing about this book is how subtly these questions are answered. Each chapter does not need a grand entrance; the changes between decades and settings do not need elaborate explanations; new characters do not have a lengthy description of their insides and outsides. Instead, the characters walk into the action and the reader does not question their motives. This, I believe, comes from good use of the medium and good writing. I do not believe that this is a naturally occurring phenomenon in all graphic novels.

Finally, I would like to talk about the depths of this book. I know Maus is studied in many literature classes, both secondary and post-secondary. I am interested in reading some of the literary criticism articles about this book because I want to read others interpretations of the depths of this text. I want to be able to study the text and talk to others about it. The book does not leave me with many unanswered questions; instead, it leaves me with the feeling that I should have questions, but I have not gone deep enough into the text to begin asking those questions. This text is not just about surviving the Holocaust; it is about family relationships, psychological trauma from tragedies, friends, ingenuity, love and compassion. It is a text that readers can tie to themselves and their worlds. It’s a multi-layered text that can incite meaningful conversations. Most importantly, it’s a good book with a great story and a high level of interest. I read through the book quickly, non-stop, which is not how I usually read books. I believe people will generally enjoy reading this text; the benefits of good discussion and deep reading will come later.

American Born Chinese

While I was really excited to read Maus, I was a little apprehensive about reading American Born Chinese. I had never heard of this book before we were assigned to read it; not only that, but I don’t know much about Chinese-American culture. This is a bit of a strange thing to admit, as I have Chinese-American friends, students and family members, but as far as their family’s culture and their current culture goes, I am very much uneducated.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say my views of Chinese-American culture included visions of Chin-Kee, because his character (for good effect) is too strong of a stereotype; however, I can say my ideas of Chinese-American stereotypes affected my interest in reading this book. I hate to admit my stereotypes and prejudices, but I honestly thought this book was going to be about ancestors, family honor and the sort of reverence for elders and traditions that I typically associate with Chinese texts. I suppose I’ve read several modern writers who use these themes in their books to talk about the loss of tradition and Chinese identity, but I had missed that point and lumped Chinese texts into a tradition-loving, family-revering heap. This book surprised me, because it touched on these themes of loss of tradition and Chinese identity without touching what I view as stereotypes. To me, it was more of a real novel that had power beyond the Chinese-American audience. It was a worldly book about adolescence, identity, power and navigating the social world. It speaks to more than just adults and adolescents, Americans and non-Americans, people of many different ethnicities and cultures and, well, to me, it’s a book that can speak to just about every person.

This was a fantastic book and a very quick read. I was so impressed by how this book uses the graphic novel medium to its advantage. The experience felt more like watching a movie than reading a book. It used visuals to its advantage, such as pauses for dramatic (or comedic effect), characterization through visuals, and style. For example, the parts with Danny and Chin-Kee look like a sitcom, which it is supposed to reflect.

This book used humor effectively. It uses it to keep the reader interested and entertained, but to also further the theme. For example, on page 48, Danny’s father is seen in the background carrying Chin-Kee’s luggage. His luggage is not a suitcase, but three take-out containers. It is a subtle addition, but serves as humor and an introduction to how ridiculous Chin-Kee’s stereotype is. It also catches the reader off-guard a bit. Sure, I don’t believe that Chinese travelers use giant take-out containers to carry their clothes and toiletries when they go on trips. I do, however, subconsciously associate those containers with Chinese culture. I felt as if I were ‘called out’ during that scene for my subconscious associations, even if I consider myself an open and accepting person.

I was a little disappointed in the ending in that I saw how the stories were connected, but the fantasy twist confused me. I didn’t have enough time to suspend my belief and understand the supernatural connection between all three stories. To deal with it, I wrote the ending off as some sort of dream. I like the supernatural connection, in theory, but I’m such a skeptic that I distrust supernatural explanations that are thrown at me. Even though I did struggle with accepting the ending, it did not ruin the experience of reading the book for me. The book was just very enlightening and enjoyable. I loved the quick, television-like pace of the story; I also think it’s one I could read several times more to pick up on additional themes and subtleties. Most importantly, I think it’s a book I can put in my classroom library and students will pick it up, read it, and love it.

Music

I listen to a lot of music genres; the only genre I really cannot stand listening to is country. I rarely go to concerts and I'm not sure why. I prefer music as a private event - when I'm driving, doing the dishes, lounging around. It's not something very social for me. In fact, it's very personal. I rarely talk about what I enjoy listening to, because it seems like a part of my personal life.

I just bought the new Kanye West CD and I've been listening to the song "Lost in the World" a lot. It has what I enjoy in a lot of songs: layers, good rhythms, electronic elements. Most importantly, to me, it has a message of social justice. I like songs that just have good beats, but I love songs that point out problems in our society in a mature way. The song (and album) ends with a repetition of "Who will survive in America?" that makes the question unavoidable for any listener. It stays in that person's head and forces them to consider the fact that American society is constructed in a way that favors certain groups of people over others. If I were to use this song in a classroom, I would use it as an example for any text or unit dealing with postcolonialism, civil rights, critical race theory or social class theory. More than the song, I would use that final question. Who will survive in America? It is a complex question that invites many detailed answers.

MUSIC VIDEO!

Kid Cudi - Day N' Nite

I remembered hearing this song on the radio one day, thinking it was very good and then being disappointed that I never heard it again. I finally found it and was happy with what I saw.

So...why? Well, let's begin with the visuals. First of all, Kid Cudi looks very nice. He's casual, but he has a fashionable edge to him. He's smooth. He doesn't dance like Michael Jackson, but he doesn't jerk and flop around. In other words, he looks approachable, but talented.

What does the video do for the song? Well, the song is built in a binary. My goodness, it's called Day N' Nite - there are two opposite things right there. The video continues this theme by presenting a binary world between real and imagined. The real is video while the imagined is animated.

Does this make me want to buy some music? Absolutely. I like song meanings; the video continues that meaning. Plus, Kid Cudi just looks cool and smooth; he gets all the ladies, but he doesn't have to try hard like Usher does.

Teaching With Music Videos

I really believe music videos can be a great tool in the classroom. They are easy to access texts with high interest; they can be used to scaffold or introduce high concept ideas. With music videos, like most things in the classroom, they do not teach on their own. Instead, dissecting the videos, using graphic organizers to analyze elements and having discussions or writings encourage students to see the connections between these traditionally promotional tools, literature and the world.

Good websites for music video ideas:

Youtube

MTV

Yahoo

Lists of top music videos:

Top 100

Best Music Videos of All Time

Things to consider about music videos: Make sure to watch all the videos beforehand and look up lyrics to the songs. I know many of the videos that are posted by VEVO on YouTube are edited, but use common sense and don't show booty-shakin' in your 7th grade classroom. Also, use a mix of current and older videos as to not alienate students; also, stay away from polarized heartthrobs. When using a Justin Bieber video in a classroom activity, the students turned on each other and divided themselves into BB Lovers and BB Haters. It's not good for morale.

How to Use Videos:

Literary Elements: Characterization, Plot, Symbols, Theme, Tone, Figurative Language; most videos contain elements of characterization and plot. ALL videos have a tone and audience.



Daft Punk - Around the World

Ideas for Use: This video can be used to introduce symbolism or metaphor. Each group (i.e. the skeletons, the robots) stands as a part of the music. When that part of music is in the foreground, the group is in the foreground. When multiple parts are mixing together, the groups mix together.

The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar

Ideas for Use: This video can be used to look at the imagery and structure of poems. Each beat of the song has an image on the screen. These images add together to create a larger image and meaning for the video. This is like poems, where not every line needs to be decoded to get meaning, nor does a poem need to have a structure like a story.

Pre-reading Activities: Videos can be used to raise interest and introduce the targeted idea of an upcoming short story or novel. These videos can be used for a discussion or writing prompt to get students thinking about ideas or themes.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Ideas for Use: Use this with any dystopian literature (The Giver, 1984) to explore feelings of occupation, whether its understood or not. Additionally, this video allows students to think about the ideas of freedom, childhood and community.

Spiritualized - Come Together

Ideas for Use: Use this video for novels that involve highly-publicized crimes or trials, such as Inherit the Wind, Monster, Native Son, or Kafka's The Trial.

Radiohead - Just (for better video quality, click here)

Ideas for Use: This video has elements of non-conformity and finding one's identity. Use it to introduce novels like Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders.

Critical Lenses: Using music videos to introduce critical lenses is a great idea since music videos are texts that are easier to access for most students. It's much easier to introduce the idea with a music video than a Faulkner short story. As with the other uses of music videos, they are more useful when dissected, instead of just presented. Use graphic organizers, checklists or worksheets to have students identify the elements of the lenses. Use those elements to model how to read literature critically.

The Decemberists - 16 Military Wives

Ideas for Use: Post-colonialism! Who has the power? Who takes the power? How is power earned?

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing (Language Warning)

Ideas for Use: Okay, so I don't exactly expect this one to be used in a classroom, but I decided to put it on here because it's funny and an example of what kinds of videos you can look for. I would use this video to talk about class theory, critical race theory and deconstruction. When deconstructing this music video, what does it say about class? This is Kanye West's voice coming out of Zach Galifianakis's mouth - what does that say about class? Race? What binaries are being broken down here? Rap videos usually don't have tractors, chainsaws or (ahem, excuse my disregard to gender theory) plain women. Yes, this is all done for humor, but there is a commentary on our society here.

Beyonce - If I Were a Boy

Ideas for Use: Beyonce examines gender roles and imagines how she would interpret events differently if she were a different gender. Your students will do that too by using this video to introduce or supplement the idea of the gender lens.

Daft Punk - Da Funk

Ideas for Use: I think this video is great to examine critical race theory and the social class lens because it presents class or race as a metaphor, instead of using real world examples of discrimination that may be too personal for students.

The Documentary

Food Inc.

Message: The message of this film is a denouncement of the current food availability in grocery stores. The animals are mistreated; the food is diseased; seed companies are abusing farmers. The film is trying to make people into smart food consumers - to question where there food comes from and purchase organic food from local farmers.

Techniques: The documentary sets up a binary between corporations and local farmers and puts a divide between them. The corporation tries to sue the farmer for reusing patented seeds; the corporation forces the local farmer to shove a ton of chickens into a small, windowless building. The corporation makes all of the food from farmers become diseased due to the money carrot dangled in front of the struggling farmers. We see the farmers and the interviews with them and their struggles; the corporations are invisible, abstract entities.

Points of View: As mentioned in the techniques, the documentary mostly stays with one point of view. It attempts to be objective, but the film moves into a category of being pro-organic food by humanizing the farmer and demonizing the corporation. The documentary attempts to lead consumers to make the correct choice, but the consumer does not have an option as to what choice that will be.

Reality: While I do find the conditions of animals in the film disgusting, the unfortunate reality is that this is not a feasible situation. If we went to organic-only farming, the price of food would skyrocket, marking a big difference between income levels. We also would not have enough food to feed everyone as this type of farming takes up more land and more manpower than corporate farming. The percent of people working in agriculture is so little that it would force a huge shift in our working economy. Should we work to change regulations? Absolutely, but we have to realize that food will be more scarce and more expensive. I don't think too many people would appreciate having to give up their animal products.

Influence: This documentary made me want to change my eating habits; it hit me where I am my most vulnerable: animals. They showed deformed chickens, cows and pigs. It broke my heart. When I see a pig that can't walk because it does not have enough room to move or enough leg muscles to hold up its massive, meaty body.

Documentary Activity: With documentaries, images are more important than words. People notice images more and they stay in people's minds better than words said. An important activity students can do when viewing a documentary is analyzing these images. The teacher needs to only use a 5-10 minute clip. The students will make three columns: one for images shown, one for words said and one for meaning reached. The purpose of this is to see when the images and the words do not match up (for example, a corporate executive talking about the responsibility of their corporation while images of destruction are shown). This activity is especially useful for studying the idea of imagery in novels, film production or the use of visuals in a speech class.

Testing This Thing Out

News Analysis

Kare 11 - 11/10/10 at 10 p.m.

00:00 Pedophile's Guide Ebook

02:20 Wadena voleyball going to state after tornado

04:26 Child Abuse case

04:46 Name of woman who was run over

04:59 Bachmann not going for GOP leadership position in house

05:17 Ramsey county vote totals

05:32 Mayor will pay for recount

05:51 Target field adding things

06:08 NASA going to repair fuel tank

06:33 Cruise ship to reach port tomorrow

07:21 Preview

07:38 Commercials - Hom, Gilette Children's Hospital, BMW, Papa Murphey's, home show, HOM, Kare11, US Bank

10:47 Is it a good idea to tap into your 401K?

13:37 Preview of tomorrow

13:58 Split Rock lit up for anniversary of sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald

15:25 Weather

18:58 Preview

19:26 Commercials - BMW, Jay Leno, Gertens, Allstate, Kare 11, U of M, Kare 11, Cort Furniture, Gertens

22:49 Sports scores

23:05 Sports

27:53 Preview

28:04 Commercials - QuitPlan, Metromix.com, Menards, McDonald's, Clear Choice Dental Implants, Kare 11 PSA about texting and driving, QuitPlan

31:06 Lotto numbers

31:21 Giant bass caught off Jersey shore

32:15 Weather review

32:26 End

Analysis:

The news seemed to be divided into thirds - first is news, second is weather and third is sports. Interspersed are lots of commercials. I was most surprised by the commercials. The commercial, such as BMW and HOM furniture, seemed to be targeted towards upper middle class white Americans older than 40. The longest news story clocked in at 2:26 seconds and was about Wadena's high school girls' volleyball team going to state even though a tornado tore apart their town in June. This newscast did not have many 'downer' news stories. It mostly tried to stay upbeat and ended on a note about a giant fish caught by a teen girl.

Activity with students:

For an activity, I would have the students do picture logs of the news. The goal of this activity will be to look through a lens (race, gender, social class) at the news. The students will create a journal of the images they see. For example, they will note who is interviewed during certain news stories and the certain images (b-roll) during stories. For example, what I have noticed is that during any story about Somalis, a picture of the Riverside Towers is shown. The students will then pick a story from their log to critique through a lens. Students will then make a chart including what the story is, who it shows and what it means. We will get a collection of this from the entire class and begin to discuss what the news does in the media.

Book Review

Boyne, John. (2006). The boy in the striped pajamas. New York: David Fickling Books. 978-0-385-75153-7.

Nine-year-old Bruno has a happy life. He lives with his mother, father and sister, Gretel, in Berlin. His family a big house with five stories (counting the basement and attic). He has three good friends, loving grandparents and a big city that begs him to explore. When Bruno comes home from school one day, he finds his family’s maid, Maria, packing up his clothes. His father has a high position with the German army; the “Fury” (what Bruno calls “the Fuhrer”) has assigned his father to be commander of Out-With, or Auschwitz to the rest of Bruno’s family.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an example of a historical fiction. The story takes place mostly at Auschwitz, in the commander’s house and at the fence that excludes the concentration camp from Bruno’s world. Bruno is a curious and adventurous boy; however, his main trait is his naïveté. The world of Auschwitz is presented through his innocent eyes; he sees atrocities, but does not realize their severity.

John Boyne uses Bruno’s innocence and friendship with Shmuel, a Jewish boy in the concentration camp, to speak about the human spirit. Bruno builds his friendship with Shmuel by meeting and talking everyday, with a piece of fence in between them. The boys do not understand why they are on their particular side of the fence. All they know is the person on the other side is very nice, fun and a good friend. The boys do not realize their differences; they do not realize why other people would balk at the idea that they were friends. To them, it is a very confusing world with too many strange rules.

Overall, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas presents an enthralling story about friendship and the absurdity and pointlessness of war and genocide. By having the story told through Bruno’s innocent perspective, the reader sees how the adults’ actions lack basic reason. It is a story that reminds readers that friendship can often come from the most unlikely of places and war based on fallacies is detrimental to all. This book’s reading level is appropriate for middle and high school students; however, the depth of the content and themes may be more appropriate for high school students.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World Response

This book left me with a sort of a mixed response. It was a little strange to jump into the non-fiction genre right after reading The Hunger Games. It was difficult for me to get into the mindset that not only did this actually happen, but now it has to fit into this physical world. It has to work with scientific laws now; it cannot just be explained away by the technology or magic.

Throughout the entire book though, I had to keep reminding myself that this story was real. It seemed too contrived; I always have trouble with stories that turn out well simply due to fate. When reading, if I see too many times where the story could go terribly wrong, but fate intervenes, I stop taking the story seriously. I want stories with characters who work their way out of situations, only to be helped by fate every once in awhile. But, this isn’t a fictional tale, is it?

I related this book to my semi-interest in going winter camping one day. I’ve never gone, but I know many people who, in December, hike and camp in the middle of nowhere. I want to do it one day, but I question why. It sounds cold, wet and miserable. I think this experience adds to my disbelief of this story - they spent a year and a half out there while I am questioning one night in a tent with a floor and synthetic sleeping back. It’s so hard for me to image the entire crew surviving with most of their limbs. Though, I suppose if there is any place to be stranded, a place with water and food is a good place to start. I just don’t understand how none of them froze to death.

I will move on past my disbelief, because it means little as this is a piece of non-fiction. It may have been sensationalized, but no matter what, all the men survived a 16 month stand in Antarctica. Their ship wrecked and they saved themselves. There are documents and pictures to prove this, both of which are provided in the book. The story is real and no matter how much I believe in its possibility, it happened.

Despite being non-fiction, the story really did read like a fiction book; maybe that’s why I had such a hard time believing it. Jennifer Armstrong built up the narrative, inserted scientific background that would help the reader understand the situation better, and tried to develop the characters. There was enough depth to some of the characters (like McNeish, Worsley and the photographer, Frank Hurley) to understand some of their actions and to predict further actions (such as Worsley’s optimism and McNeish’s depression). However, there wasn’t much about the men.

Armstrong took her time developing Shackleton. He, like the others, is a sort of two-dimensional character; we don’t really see his motives or arcs. She does, however, point out the importance and characteristics of his leadership. She shows he worked his way up to his position, learning about leadership and the Antarctic along the way; he was not born to do his job. She shows his care with his crew, making sure to feed them and keep the group’s spirits high. We see why his crew survived; it’s because his leadership kept the team together and kept the men continuing on his journey.

It was a good book; it wasn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed the story and the pictures. It was a story I was surprised I had never heard before. I didn’t know explorers were in Antarctica at the turn of the century, nor did I ever think an entire team could survive a year and a half in such brutal conditions. What I found the most incredible out of the entire story was the fact that several of the crew members continued on to other Antarctica missions. I cannot image why anyone would want to look at ice ever again after being on it for so long.

Family Sitcom Genre Analysis

Full House Clip - demonstrates the social conflict, the laugh track and clean, city home. Everything is so perfect, their conflicts must be both arbitrary, far-fetched and easy to solve. Also, view the white, middle-class each character takes; family sitcoms tend to promote the idea of "color blindness."

Why does this genre appeal to me?

I grew up on this genre - I didn't have cable when I was growing up, so I had to watch sitcoms on ABC for my entertainment. I am apart of the TGIF generation where family sitcoms ruled. I was invited into the homes of the Tanners and Winslows. To me, as a kid raised on TV, this is what defined families for me. No matter what families look like, they still love each other and get into hilarious situations.

Prototypical Features

See Powerpoint. These include wacky neighbors, conflicts involving social status, themes about love, togetherness and caring. These families have all of their basics met; they can focus on superficial needs, such as status and identity. They may get into arguments, but they never suffer and everything is resolved at the end of the 30 minute episode. These families live in cities mostly, but never live with crime or poverty. Instead, the family unit is the biggest priority in their lives.

The Limitations

While these families may be inspirational for some, the families mostly fail to represent the truth of real families. There is never any real conflict amongst them - there are never threats of divorce, money problems or food shortages. They instead focus on their appearance to the outside world and their undeniable love within the home. In a way, they set up the ideal for the American family; however, this ideal leaves many individuals without agency or an identity. They are cardboard characters with cardboard problems; they have never had to struggle for anything, except the choice of who to take to prom or what to do with the wrecked car before their uncle finds out. The quick resolutions make most family's conflicts seem unsolvable. The real family gets ignored while this fictional ideal family is put on a pedestal.

Activity

To critique the sitcom family, students will be shown 4 five minute clips from four different family sitcoms. They will fold a piece of paper into five columns. In the first four columns, the students will observe the sitcom families in certain categories, such as how their family looks, what their house looks like, how they interact, their conflicts and the family's social status. In the last column, the student will put observations about his own family in those categories. The student will then write about how these families are different and similar to their own families. Then, the students will get together in groups to discuss their answers; they will then talk about what this mass media idea of family does for real families.

PowerPoint

Harry Potter and the Fanfiction Community

Here I am three years after the release of the last book in the Harry Potter series, writing about the still strong Harry Potter Fanfiction Community. I thought it would have died by now or have become irrelevant to many fans who have been satisfied by the completion of the series. I was wrong.

Where do I fit in to all of this? I loved Harry Potter Fanfiction back in the day when we only had four books in the series. It was fun to be able to turn to a source to get more Harry Potter to read. Now, the writing was not as good and sometimes the story lines were ridiculous, but it was comforting to just find more to read. Also, when the series was only half over, fanfiction was a way to play with the 'what-ifs'. What will happen? What does this one clue mean? Authors could explore it through fanfiction, be wrong, and then be able to market their story as "Alternate Universe."

So, what are some common traits of the fanfiction community?

Shame/Pride/Anonymity

For this ethnography, I spoke to a good friend who used to read fanfiction at the same time as me. We both discussed how embarrassed we were about it. It was our kind of secret that we didn't want to tell anyone. We were teenagers at this time, using our family's computers. We would both delete the browser history because we were too embarrassed to be confronted by the rest of the family - even though the rest of the family would have absolutely no idea what that text meant. Strangely enough, my friend and I would never talk about what we read together - we just knew we both read fanfiction. It was too personal to talk about the alternate universes we imagined, but I think it's because we felt some shame about our dream hook-ups. Why? Well, they were so improbably and not based on the books that it was silly. Draco is not going to be sensitive, people.

However, in visiting the fanfiction world outside my circle, I see a sense of anonymous pride. Authors hide behind the constructed identities of screen names and avatars, but there is a sense of community. For example, fanfiction.net has a forums section that is split up among what kind of situations (or relationships) people like to read. Each of these forums has thousands of posts relating to writing challenges (ideas for authors), recommendations (I am a reader and I just read this great story; you should read it too!). For the most part, people involved in the fanfiction community seem to view their participation in the community necessary for keeping it alive. It is not a self-sufficient place. Members are needed to promote stories, keep the community alive through non-fanfiction communication and by keeping writers writing through story ideas and challenges. Most importantly, the goal of the Harry Potter fanfiction community seems to be keeping the series alive. We were all disappointed that the series ended, especially since the epilogue was disappointing to a lot of people who participate(d) in the fanfiction community. It's their duty to erase the epilogue and keep it the series alive in some strange alternate reality.

A Chance to Write and Not Develop

Now, I can honestly say I've never written fanfiction. I was always a passive user, but that's because I had too much shame to write anything. However, what I have noticed in a lot of fanfiction writers is the lure of being able to write a story and not have the develop the characters. It's a great entry and practice for developing writers. They do not have to give the characters any attributes because we know them already. They don't have to describe most of the setting, because we know it already. The truth is, all they have to do is write a coherent plot and it's a readable story for many people.

However, a lot of the characterization introduced in the actual series gets ignored. Or explained. Draco may be sensitive in a fanfiction and that is explained away because "Harry just didn't know the real Draco." The reader suspends his belief and accepts it, because honestly, we don't want to read a story about a shamelessly mean person anyway, but we are intrigued by his character. Most fanfiction doesn't exactly match up with the real series, in either characterization or content, but that's alright since it's a fantasy world spurned by a fantasy world. Fanfiction isn't really viewed as a knock-off of books, it's more of an exploration or a chance to say, "What if?" It's a way to get that awful epilogue out of your brain.

Skellig Response

I was very torn about this book. I kept having this conflict as to whether I liked it or not. I think there are two factors: I had difficulty suspending belief and I kept waiting for something to happen. Everything just happened so calmly and peacefully that I expected some form of tense conflict whenever I turned the page. I was wrong.

The question I ask myself, then, is was it a good book? Yes. It was. It was a really good book. But, for some reason, I had difficulty getting into it. I had a problem turning the pages and wanting to know what came next. To me, it felt like a story that passively unfolded and then tied itself up in a nice bow. There is no more supernatural left to explain at the end of the book; yes, Skellig is still a mystery, but Michael and Mina just accept he is a positive mystery and move on with their lives.

I think I also did not love the book because I read it as a text with religious undertones. Personally, whenever I interact with a text (film, TV show, book, etc.) with a mysterious, helpful being that might be an angel (but also might not be), I always am a little put-off. I associate these texts with cheesiness (even though Skellig was not cheesy) because they usually have the ‘I am a human and I can’t do anything for myself; why have I been trying all these years?’ motif to them. Skellig, thank goodness, did not have this as all the confirmed humans in the story really didn’t need Skellig, but he did provide support. Just because Skellig had the ‘Is he an angel or not?’ question to it, made me automatically put it in the same category. I suppose it’s my loss for being inflexible while reading it. It’s my loss because, even though I know it is a beautiful and well-written story, I just could not enjoy it on a personal level.

When I look at Skellig critically, I have many more positive things to say about it because I can fortunately take myself and my opinions out of it. I can see why Skellig won the Printz award; it is so unlike any story I have read, especially a story meant to be read by a younger crowd. I want to compare this story to Out of the Dust, because it is one of the very few novels where I can tell each of the words were carefully chosen. David Almond paid great attention to the aesthetics of the words. He uses simple vocabulary and sentence structure, but he arranges the words in such a beautiful way. The description on the back said it’s told in lyrical prose; I’m not sure I would ever be able to identify it as that, but I can see some of the techniques that give this book both a distinction (Printz award) and a category of lyrical prose.

For example, Almond uses alliteration (“I held my hand to my heart.” on page 141; honestly, though, you can open up to any page and find an example) and lyricism (“We sat on the front wall waiting for Dad’s car to turn into the street”). The whole book sounded like and felt like a song.

Beyond the sound of the book, this book had a very adult feeling that I believe young adults would enjoy. This book’s main character was only ten, but the book dealt with adult themes (life, death, humanity, nature) and general things young people do not have much experience with, such as William Blake, ornithology, and decay.

Though, this brings up the question, is it over their heads? Perhaps, at first, but I do believe if students have initiative to do some research about some of the unknowns in the book, or if adults answer questions for students, they will get a lot out of this book. They will get more out of this book than I did. I hope so, because it is a beautiful book and I hope more people like it more than I did.

The Graveyard Book Response

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of Harry Potter and I put The Graveyard Book into a similar category. Both involve orphan boys with malevolent beings with dreams of world domination out to get them. Both are this strange realistic fantasy genre where the real world exists and interacts with their worlds, but the fantasy worlds are contained within borders. With fantasy books like that, it’s easier for me to buy into the fantasy worlds. I can suspend my belief better than with a book like Skellig where the fantasy is too intertwined with reality.\

To me, this book was just a fun read. It was 300 pages, but it didn’t drag. I didn't understand every word (some I had never even seen before!), nor did I understand everything that was always going on in the book, but that didn’t stop me from just reading straight through and enjoying myself. This book didn’t feel like work to read; it felt like a break or a reward.

I’m actually surprised I had not heard of this book before I read it. This book feels like it would be very popular with a lot of kids. It feels like it could be turned into a movie (after researching, it is supposed to become a movie). It’s even been the New York Times bestseller and winner of the Newbery Award - so why haven’t I heard of it before this class? I’m not sure, but I will make sure to pass this book on to students and adults, because I’m sure most will feel the same as I do, especially if they are fans of fun, humorous, well-written fantasy.

I enjoyed how well this book fit into the fantasy genre - the graveyard is its own world, governed by its own rules and secured by its own boundaries. This book is about a fight between good and evil and how good can triumph evil with teamwork, ingenuity and caring. Most importantly, what works well for this book is its importance it puts on the human world. Bod is alive and needs to live in his own world; therefore, he cannot stay with the world of the dead forever.

The reason I bring this out as a positive of the book is because I have to juxtapose it with another fantasy novel, Twilight. My biggest complaint about that series was the glamorization of the vampire world. There were no drawbacks to that fantasy world and it made me feel as though being a human were a terrible thing.

The Graveyard Book does not do this; it celebrates life. The graveyard is an exciting place with great stories and beautiful places, but Bod will be able to go back to the graveyard in time. Life is so short and precious that it is imperative that he lives it while he still has the chance. This may involve leaving his family and friends behind, but he cannot miss out on something so wonderful as life.

I also feel that I need to comment on the structure of the novel. When I first started to read it, I thought the stories were disjointed snippets. I appreciated when I saw the ends created from the other chapters tied up. There is no smooth transition from chapter to chapter, but each chapter is important in making the ending believable to the reader. Everything mentioned in the book had a purpose, even if that purpose was just to show the importance of being human and the consequences of mixing the worlds of the living and the dead (as in the case of Bod going to school). Although, now that I think about it, what was the point of the danse macabre? Perhaps it was just to show Bod is not dead, even though he can consort with the dead and harness some of the powers the dead have.

Facebook Addiction

Alright - I admit. I use Facebook all the time. It's become a ritual; I log into Facebook the same time I log into my e-mail. This is the first action I take every time I go on the Internet or even just use the computer. I need to write a paper - okay, well, after I check Facebook. I need directions - what's on Facebook? I need that recipe for French Dip again - oh hey look who's getting married! It's a great tool because I can stay in contact with people who are too busy to pick up their phones, like me. Also, I have a lot of friends around the country due to me and them moving all around.

Here is where I construct who I am to the outside world - I put my stats about my life, what I'm doing and what I believe. The problem is, it's not always really me. Facebook makes me censor myself since I know everyone else's stats and beliefs. I don't want to offend them. I don't want to list my religious or political beliefs because now my parents are on Facebook and I don't want them to think I'm their terribly raised daughter.

I know TOO much about people now. I also know how they have no shame in driving me nuts to improve their farms. That's why I wish I could change Facebook into just a contact source, like a cell phone or a letter. I want to be able to notify people on Facebook and then converse with them in a more private setting. Unfortunately, I like gossip too much, so I depend on other people's 'too much information' for my entertainment.

For students, I feel that Facebook can be a good lesson in audience, both intended and unintended. The students may write to a specific audience, but it will be read and (mis)interpreted by a wider audience. This can lead to a lesson in creating a more specific audience (i.e. don't post in the extreme public!) or by writing to a more diverse audience (what kind of words and what kind of structure to use).

Luna Response

I was really excited to start reading Luna. I am a big supporter of GLBT rights, to the point where I get really emotional about it. I get really upset whenever I hear about students’ suicides in the news because they were bullied for being gay, or another set-back in making marriage a legal right for all consenting adults. I have too many friends who are affected by this mindless hate.

I know too many good people who perpetrate this kind of hate, too; they don’t mean to be discriminating or hateful, they just believe they are standing up for their own convictions. For example, my father is a great guy. He’s very loving, a great father to my sister and me and now a great grandfather to my niece and nephew. He’s very caring and would sacrifice many things so that his family would do better. My father, however, doesn’t understand the queer rights movement. He believes it’s wrong and there’s no other way to argue about it. It is against God to not be heterosexual.

This is why I was so excited about this book. To me, I saw it as a gateway to get readers to understand the confusion of gender identity our friends, family members and peers feel. I was excited to see a text that explained the lack of choice in having a different gender identity or sexual preference. The reader sees Liam and his two choices: pretend to be something he’s not and be miserable, or become the woman she is meant to be, be more self-confident and have a better life. The circumstances the book presented makes Luna’s choice easy. Of course, she should have her sexual reassignment surgery: what’s the point for her to live as Liam?

I do have to say that after reading the book, I have mixed feelings about it. I was so happy that it put a necessary topic out there for teens to think about; unfortunately, I thought the book quality was a little sub par to what we have been reading. I think I have become a little spoiled with the fantastic books we have been reading throughout the semester; this book’s writing just seemed a little flat compared to them. I could not picture the character’s in my heads; their predicaments seemed a little contrived to me (really, Liam just has all this money? I know he’s earned it, but in reality, Peters wants me to just swallow that he has $100,000 sitting around?) or a little stereotypical (sports-crazed dad, pill-popping mom).

I believe the book does improve towards the end. At first, Regan’s complete acceptance of Luna seems a little far-fetched to the reader with the type of GLBT-intolerant family background I come from. When Regan struggles with Luna’s needs, she seems like a more real character.
I feel as though I’ve bashed on this book too much; that’s not what I meant to do, because I am thankful to have read it and to be able to put it in my future classroom’s library. I think the distance from Liam’s or Luna’s thoughts were necessary, in a strange way, for the reader to accept his decision to leave and go through with his sexual reassignment surgery. I don’t want to admit it, but I think most readers (including me) would be put-off if the story were told through Liam’s point-of-view. I don’t feel like I could completely understand his gender confusion.

Regan, however, gives us the lens of Average Girl. We see her brother’s transformation through her eyes and we are more able to accept it. She accepts him, loves him, gets frustrated by him, but most importantly, supports him. He’s a loving guy who only wants to have the life he’s meant to have. As a reader, how could we read this and reject him? It makes us feel guilty. Thank you, Julie Anne Peters, for giving LBGT teenagers a voice. I hope some kids learn some extended definitions of compassion from her books.

Moms in Media

MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS ACTIVITY:

This activity is meant to get students thinking about stereotypes and how we passively accept them. This can work for any media representation, but I will use moms for my activity. I will tell each student to draw a picture of a mom; they won't have to put their name on it so it will stay anonymous. They will crumple up these pictures and toss them in a pile on the floor or into a hat if the students go too crazy throwing paper. The teacher will then unfold each drawing and make a list of the attributes on the picture. For example, if the mother is wearing a skirt, the teacher will write skirt on the board and put a tally mark beneath it. If another picture has the mother wearing a skirt, the teacher will put another tally mark there. The teacher can do this with as many or as few categories as she wishes. At the end of this assignment, there will most likely be a lot of tally marks in a category. The teacher will then ask students to think of the mothers they know and think about whether they fit into this category or not. The teacher will then ask where these stereotypical images appear. The students will then free write about the differences and similarities between real mothers and media-created mothers.

2010 - Fear of Brown People

Here's a collection of the most racist political ads this election cycle. ARGHGH!

Critical Analysis of Wife Swap

Wife Swap is a show that picks a subject and shows two wives on opposite poles of that issue. The wives switch families and everyone gets really mad because they believe their extreme pole is the right pole. For this critical analysis, I will critique this clip of Wife Swap through a feminist and semiotic analysis.

Feminist Analysis

What does it mean to be a woman? Or a wife? Or a mother? More importantly, what does it mean to be a good one? Although this clip does not explicitly state a proposed answer to this, viewers can infer an opinion.

The mother (in this clip, only known as Grandma) of the other wife (Paulette) storms into the kitchen and begins moaning about the terrible things the visiting wife, Elizabeth, has done. Her initial critiques are on the cleanliness of the kitchen, the presentation of the cooking dinner and the overall state of the house and family. She makes it known that she and her daughter believe this is the definition of a good woman, wife and mother. Elizabeth disagrees.

The strange thing about this clip is its focus. Yes, it's not hard to understand that a show about two wives who have different ways of defining wife would focus on traditional feminine roles, such as cleaner, cook, and childcare provider. This clip, however, focuses more on these roles than the women themselves. We do not learn about these women beneath the visible surface. We do not see how their definitions of woman have been developed. Instead, we only see the overflowing pots and food-encrusted counters. The grandmother says, "My daughter vacuums everyday!" These women are defined by their roles; the editing of the show, with its emphasis on surface actions, reminds us of this too.

Semiotic Analysis

As I mention in my feminist critique, this show represents the roles of women as a binary. In this clip, we have the clean wife versus the sloppy wife. The show does not have a game show format, but it invites the viewer to choose a side by providing arguments for and rebuttals for each definition of wife.

In this scene, we have the sloppy wife (Elizabeth) meeting the mother of the clean wife (Paulette). To show the binary of the two definitions of wife, the show uses semiotics to visually show the division between the two roles. The show uses two primary locations in this clip: the kitchen and the porch. The grandmother and the Elizabeth have agency in one location and not the other: the grandmother can critique Elizabeth in the kitchen while Elizabeth can critique the grandmother on the porch. Both of these locations are representative to their definitions of the word 'wife.' Additionally, these two locations draw on the cultural code of who belongs where: the sloppy wife outside of her home and the clean wife in her kitchen. Having two different locations also brings the idea of a binary back into play; the two women have polar opposite views and cannot reconcile.

Classroom Approach

I am very interested in how cultural codes and gender are constructed by media; I want my students to think critically about this too. If I were to use this clip and these analyses for instruction, I would begin by asking students to define wife, woman and mother and begin thinking about why their definitions are what they are. My objective is to deconstruct the strong binaries presented in this clip. To do this, I would ask students to first notice all the different binaries in the clip - age, setting, cleanliness, clothing, etc. - and through this, we will have a discussion as to how gender roles are socially constructed. We will explore how this clip constructs gender roles and the danger of polarizing them.

Response to Folklore - Sukey and the Mermaid (for Adolescent Literature class)

I am so confused. I am including by response to The People Could Fly first:

I was a little unsure about reading folk tales. I did not have much experience with them previously; the ones that I did read, I never liked too much. I tend to dislike stories with undeveloped characters and simplistic plot lines. Characterization is one of my favorite parts of all narratives and so I feel a little sad when I read the interchangeable characters. Really, if we were to dissect it, we could change the names of any of the characters in the folktales (which happened frequently) and most of the attributes. The jokester is always the jokester; the villain is always the villain; the hero is always the hero. I have realized in reading these folktales that this is not the point and it is unfair to critique these tales by standard literary merits such as character arcs, plot developments or use of language. I will go into this further in the critical section of my response.

I am still not a huge fan of the folk genre; that’s simply due to what I enjoy about reading. As I said before, I enjoy arcs of all kinds and folk never seems to have this. I can say, however, that Virginia Hamilton’s collection of folktales has given me a greater respect of the genre. I had to take a look at the history of the tales, the vernacular they are written in, and the idea that they are meant (as most folktales are) to be remembered and shared orally with a group. Folktales are more than just stories; they are historical sources that aim to interpret the thoughts, feelings and desires of a group of people at a certain time in history. Additionally, their stories are not so different from the types of stories I like to read; many folktales serve as the basis for the archetypal characters we might see in today’s fiction. Perhaps today’s characters and plots are more fleshed out, but we can see folktales as a dot on the timeline of the history of fiction. These are the beginnings of fiction when books either didn’t exist or were unusable by the population.

The People Could Fly is an excellent collection of folktales. Virginia Hamilton makes these tales accessible by the readers by providing a commentary at the end of each story. Sometimes she explains the origination of the tales; sometimes she discusses some variants among regions. No matter what, she provides a sense of history and importance to these folktales.

This brings me back to the idea that I cannot criticize folktales as I would other types of literature. These tales give us a synopsis of what African Americans of the mid to late 1800s considered entertaining and inspiring. The book is broken down into four sections: animal tales, fanciful tales, supernatural tales, and tales of freedom. In connecting all four of these sections together, certain themes, such as work, freedom and family begin to emerge. I feel, though, the most important theme to emerge is the small overcoming the large. Many of the stories deal with the individual, unremarkable man getting freedom from slaves masters, the devil or magical beasts through uses of unknown magic, good fortune or plain wit. To me, this seems like a commentary on the lack of agency and power in the African American communities at this time in history.

These folktales are important to preserve because it is apart of American and African American history. The stories originate from the West Indies and Africa and develop as they are retold around different regions of America. It is important to preserve these stories and understand the voices of the slaves. The oral storytelling may not be as prominent as it once was, but Virginia Hamilton and others have done an excellent job at preserving these stories in an original structure and dialect.


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For my choice book in the folktale unit, I chose Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert San Souci. I read this book before I read The People Could Fly and I’m still not sure if that was the best decision or not. I suppose it doesn’t matter and I should just be grateful I read both. Reading The People Could Fly, however, gave me a better insight into Sukey and the Mermaid.


I enjoyed this book as an experience. I tend to not enjoy reading folktales because I enjoy developed characters and plausible plotlines. Folktales usually drive me a little crazy with their simplicity, even though I understand the historical and cultural significance of them and the nature of their oral pasts. However, the big, bright illustrations really created an enjoyable experience for me. I hate to say that folktales are more enjoyable in a children’s book format, but I think it works better that way for me. It forces me to let go of my initial reaction of approaching the text with the intent of analyzing and criticizing it using forms of literary critique. It allows me to first appreciate the story for what it is and then go back and critique it.




After reading The People Could Fly, I can say this tale appealed to me more emotionally than any of the tales in Hamilton’s books did. First of all, the protagonist was a little girl; this was something I was sad to not see in Hamilton’s collection. All of the tales in Hamilton’s collection seemed very man-centric; the only women included were mothers, witches or wives. Additionally, the abuse came from the home instead of the plantation and the isolation of the island made the tale made the tale connect with me more emotionally. I felt for Sukey and wanted her to have a good life.



This tale is definitely a good example of a folktale and could have been easily included with Hamilton’s tales. The story derives from a West African tale that has been influenced by the Caribbean and American South. It is written in the dialect of the Sea Islands of South Carolina’s coast. Its protagonist is a person who has very little power, but gains power and good fortune through the mystical: this time, a beautiful, black mermaid named Mama Jo.



Sukey, like many of the protagonists in The People Could Fly, faces difficulty in being isolated on a small island, being a black woman, and being abused by her step-father. Her encounter with Mama Jo is a way to escape her oppression. The interested twist Sukey and the Mermaid takes, however, is the idea that a problem-free life is not necessarily as wonderful as it sounds. Mama Jo takes Sukey beneath the water to live with her, but Sukey begins to miss the land, her family and her home. Despite escaping from her hardships, she asks to return to them.



On land, Sukey faces more difficulties as her step-father murders her fiancé for the sack of gold Mama Jo gave Sukey. This story does not stray too far from the norms of the folktale genre; the story has to have a happy ending. It does as Mama Jo’s magic brings Sukey’s fiancé back to life and the evil step-father dies. Everyone seems to live happily ever after.



In reading this story, it’s easy to notice the similarities between it and other fairy tales, especially Cinderella. Sukey may be a Cinderella figure, but she still incorporates the characteristics of a Southern black folk figure. She uses her cleverness to escape from bad situations; she uses magic to aid in making her life better, but she uses it wisely; she has a dedication to family and community; most importantly, she does not become mentally overwhelmed by her hardships. Her body gives out before her will. She is a strong woman and any reader cannot help but cheer for her happy ending.

THE CLIMB

View her final moments. Feel her pain.

Analyzing Music Videos - A Film Analysis Project

Students will watch a music video; it can be any music video, but for this project, we'll use "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys.

Here's a link to it since record companies don't like embedding anymore.

I would use music videos as an introduction to film analysis since they are concise and usually non-linear; they seem to portray emotions more than a linear storyline. My objective of this activity is to get students thinking about the way editing and camera techniques affect a video's tone.

Students will first watch the video with no sound. After watching the video, they will answer these questions on their own:
1) What emotions did you feel while watching this video?
2) What were some examples of shots that explain your emotions from the video?
3) How would you describe the pace of the editing?
4) What kind of song do you think this will be?

After answering the questions, the students will see the music video again. This time, they are supposed to look for more examples of shots that back up their emotions (i.e. close-ups, quick pans, short shots, spinning shots) and examine how the music adds to video. After the second viewing, the teacher will discuss the questions with the entire group.

Since this is meant as an introductory activity, the students will most likely not know the specific terms for the shots. As the students are listing the shots that gave them their 'emotions,' the teacher should write down the description. After the discussion is over, the teacher can introduce the technical names and descriptions for shots (i.e. Medium shot, close-up, etc.) and use the examples students gave.

PUPPIES RULE

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

My Student Film in Parts I & II

Analyzing a Show I'd Watch Anyway - Sheesh School is Hard

Here's an annotation of Arrested Development:



I've always appreciated this show's non-traditional format. In my annotation, I talk about television genre schemata and I place this show in the category of sitcom, but it bends a lot of the traditional components, such as having no laugh track, fading to white, mockumentary and hand-held camera style, and not having a neat and tidy ending. I think what this show does best, however, is understand and appreciate its audience. The reason why this show did not do so well, is that it reaches an active, quick-thinking audience. The editing is quick and the characters' movements and words are so fast, it is easy to miss jokes and plot keys. But, more than normal sitcoms, this show respects its viewers. It expects them to follow the storyline and jokes, not have the show explain everything through immediate recaps or a dumbing down of the plot.

This show aims to be light and funny. Simply put, through my annotations, I noticed it succeeds in doing that through its use of lighting, playful use of music and fast-paced medium shot cuts.

A Precursor for Video Annotation

I love Susan Douglas - watch her:



I have always thought - more than any other woman - she provides realistic solutions to women's issues. I believe social change happens through media portrayals and media literacy. My poor, future students will have to put up with me beating my chest.

My Actual Real Vlog

Here is the first vlog I made:



When I realized I didn't talk about the class at all, I made another one. My camera, however, decided to stop working in the middle, so you can get a little taste of my accident:

Viewing the Vlog

The vlog I chose to view was Rocketboom - a daily vlog I had never heard of before, but I really like its style. It's a little This American Life-esque with its good stories about many things you have never considered before, such as the quality of Nigerian cinema.

By the way, did you know Nigeria produced so many films? I had no clue.

I like the way this blog is set up. I follows a bit of a Dateline format, in that it is news, but it's not a talking head. You get the story. There are interviews with people; you see images associated with the topic; you see the people making films instead of just talking about making films. In a way, it makes the unbelievable topic more believable. The editing is quick and it needs to be. This is a short clip intended for people who want to be engaged in a topic for a short amount of time - I think about it as a bit of sampler. The quick editing and immersion into the story lets the viewer be more engaged with the topic in a short amount of time.