Radiohead Video and "The Poetics of Commerce"

Check out this interesting video. The band is Radiohead, and the song is "All I need." Think about how this might relate to Espada's "The Poetics of Commerce."

Examples of Collages

Collages by Max Ernst.

Collages by Joseph Cornell.

The Art of Faith Ringgold

from "Representation in Art and Film: Identity and Stereotype" by Martha Savage

"Faith Ringgold is best known for a genre of art she created, the story quilt. Sewn and painted on cloth, text panels recount stories and visual images move in a linear and at times not so linear path." One of her most famous works is the story quilt "Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima," a quilt that rewrites the stereotypical character's life.

Below, however, is a work by Ringgold that uses oil and canvas. This work was completed in 1971.

The objective for this assignment is to analyze Ringgold's painting in order to respond to some of Lucy Lippard's suggested methods for shattering stereotypes: "[ranging] from opening wounds, to seeking revenge through representation, to reversing destructive developments so the healing process can begin."

First, though, let's identify the subject(s); second, whether stereotypes are, indeed, addressed, and if so, what are they, and which of Lippard's methods is Ringgold using to address them? And finally, does your group think that this piece does an effective job addressing these issues? Is it inspiring? How has it struck you? However, if your group feels that it falls short somewhere, why?

Note: Your group's response will be evaluated based on its completion. In other words, does it address the prompt effectively and completely?

" For the Woman's House"

Lit Circles

Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information. See Censorship and Challenges and Notable First Amendment Cases.

Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful. As John Stuart Mill wrote in On Liberty:

“If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.” — On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

Here is a list of the American Library Association's 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990-2000.

Here is the ALA's list of challenged books by authors of color.

Assignment:

1. 4-5 group members
2. Choose one challenged book--book must be cleared with me
3. If your group has another title in mind, see me about using it for this lit. circle.
4. Due:) _______

The Cognitive Basis of Gender Stereotypes

Read the following article and react.

* Do you agree or disagree with this overview?
* What evidence do you find the most intriguing?

Assignment: Poem #3

Your next poem will be composed using the cut-up method. The only requirements are the following:

1. "Sound of Silence" must be the main source of material used in this exercise, but it doesn't have to be the only one.
2. Must be at least 20 lines
3. Must be typed

Due: Monday 4/28

Junot Diaz Wins the Pulitzer and other Stuff

Read the following article about Junot Díaz, paying close attention to the interviewer's question that begins: "Did you have any doubts about having a hero who was such an uber-nerd?" and Díaz' response.

Write a brief reaction to this piece. Also, does this piece on Díaz inspire you to go out and look up some of this work? (of course if you haven't read some already) DUE: THURSDAY 11:59 pm

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ASSIGNMENT: POEM #2

Joe Brainard's great friend, confidante, and collaborator, Ron Padgett, once wrote of Brainard's work "His method had something childlike about it, and indeed Joe did have a taste for things that were free of adult overcomplication." Padgett also admitted "...[Brainard] had made a marvelous discovery, and many of us wondered why we hadn't thought of such an obvious idea ourselves." In the spirit of Brainard's spectacular long poem "I remember," which we will have read excerpts in class, you will be composing a similar poem made up of the following:

1. 20 lines minimum, each beginning with the anaphoric "I

remember" (More about this in class)

2. Typed

3. Due: Friday, April 11th in class (submit to Andrew)

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Here's a copy of the NY Times article "The Color of Mayhem, in a Wave of Urban Games."