This piece definitely had the most up's and down's out of all my pieces written so far. Here are some things that helped or hurt me:
Talking to Amy Rodgers is what sparked this piece and reading her responses from past interviews really helped. She talked about the female role and dance and in academia so passionately that this definitely inspired the topic.
Students are flaky. I started interviewing two weeks ago, getting in touch with students by email. But they are hard to get in touch with. I feel like I didn't get all the student representation that I wanted. Would it be too much to add more students? Or what about male voices? I also wonder if I should add any professors to the mix to get their take? But for me, the students seemed to be more open about their opinions with gender divides on campus because they actually are a direct part of it first hand. Is the authoritative role a good thing to add though?
I ended up finding that The Tempest is what connected all of my interviews together. It was really interesting because each one actually mentioned the play at some point or another. I thought this was a good connection but then did it focus too much on theater and not enough on the other arts?
I really did enjoy writing/interviewing for this piece though. Especially being involved in the arts on our campus myself, it was really interesting to see what people had to say. I would like to interview some males in the next few days as well though. I asked each student what their definition and meaning for feminism was and it was interesting to compare all of them. I think it would be interesting to find a male's perspective on this. I also realized that I need to add much, much more details and descriptions. My article is obviously for an Index audience, so how much detail is too much?
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Explanatory Narrative (Week 10)
Explanatory Narrative
Women and the Arts at Kalamazoo College (Working Title)
Antonio became Antonia. Gonzalo became Gonzalia. Adrian became Adrienne. Most importantly, Prospero became Prospera. Kalamazoo College put on the usually male-dominated production of The Tempest, but instead replaced the males with females, showcasing the powerful women of the campus, determined to show what feminism and the arts is really about.
“The Tempest is Shakespeare's most male-heavy play and there's only one woman, Miranda, and she's not one of Shakespeare's strongest female roles. This means that suddenly we've created a world in which women hold positions of great power, and the tyrannical Prospero is now a strong female matriarch. In this way, I feel that we've done our part to reclaim The Tempest for feminism,” said Laura Fox the senior dramaturge for the play.
Fox and her fellow cast mates have made strides in cementing the female role in the arts on Kalamazoo College’s campus. Although Fox said that the theater department is very open to females (the majority of the directors have been females in the past), she feels that this play certainly opens up new ideas of the female role and hopes that this is spread to the campus. “I don't think the theatre department harbors any biases against women and I'd say that it's an exceptionally feminist department. But in terms of our campus, I'd say that women are still fighting an uphill battle,” said Fox.
Along with Fox and the theater department, other such contributors to the arts have made impacts for the women on our campus. Rachel Silander, a senior music major, focused her entire Senior Individualized Project (SIP) on music and sexual taboos, starting with the oppression of women in the 1920’s. “I think women have to struggle a little bit more and be a bit more talented in order to live up to the [music] standard whereas men who may have a decent voice are more likely to go farther as long as they are entertaining,” said Silander. Given these divides, she wanted to find a SIP that would explore these struggles for women in the music industry, especially those in musical theater.
Although the music department is heavily female-weighted, Silander believes that women can always work to make a mark in the arts, such as music. “Music gives a sense of power for women. They can gain a lot of respect from it. With two women's singing groups on campus I think it also creates a sense of solidarity among women that you can't necessarily find elsewhere on our campus,” she said. These women are working together.
Not only are they working together within departments but with other departments as well. Silander, as a music major not a theater major, mentioned The Tempest when describing examples of how women are taking back the arts at Kalamazoo College. This is exactly what Fox wanted with the play—to make an impact on the entire campus with a fight for feminism, not just the theater department. “Ask most men (and even women) about their thoughts on feminism, and I don't think they would have very nice things to say. It's still a very misunderstood concept, not only at K but everywhere, and I know that feminists on campus don't necessarily feel that their voices are being heard. So maybe they should give our theatre a try,” exclaimed Fox.
Like Fox, Laura Marshall, a senior art major, feels that the arts are a good way for women to express themselves. “The art programs on our campus may attract more females but that makes sense given the gender breakdown in general. But I don’t think this should stop women from excelling and trying even harder to make a difference in the arts, especially on such a small campus. The more exposure the better,” she said. “I even see my art major working hand-in-hand with my psychology major at times. We discuss a lot of women’s studies in our Feminist Psychology class so I often bring up my work in the arts. It’s not just about within our departments but all the women in the arts programs working with the entire campus.”
One of the main events that each female mentioned, that seeks to unify the campus and the women involved in our arts is The Tempest. “In Shakespeare's time, women weren't even allowed to act, so men and boys played all the roles. Now, of course, there are more images of women onstage, although not always flattering or strong ones. Our production of The Tempest seeks to rectify this and create strong female roles out of historically male roles. It's pretty exciting to be in the audience as a woman, then, and see these incredibly powerful and three-dimensional women onstage,” said Fox. This play has positively affected the women on our campus, and Fox, Silander, and Marshall all hope it has done the same for men.
Whether theater, music, or the arts in general, the women on Kalamazoo College’s campus agree on one thing: equality. No matter the art, each woman strives for equal acceptance and equal representation. They all understand that this is not the current situation in societies, so their actions to propel Kalamazoo College in the right direction have been necessary and beneficial for all.
Women and the Arts at Kalamazoo College (Working Title)
Antonio became Antonia. Gonzalo became Gonzalia. Adrian became Adrienne. Most importantly, Prospero became Prospera. Kalamazoo College put on the usually male-dominated production of The Tempest, but instead replaced the males with females, showcasing the powerful women of the campus, determined to show what feminism and the arts is really about.
“The Tempest is Shakespeare's most male-heavy play and there's only one woman, Miranda, and she's not one of Shakespeare's strongest female roles. This means that suddenly we've created a world in which women hold positions of great power, and the tyrannical Prospero is now a strong female matriarch. In this way, I feel that we've done our part to reclaim The Tempest for feminism,” said Laura Fox the senior dramaturge for the play.
Fox and her fellow cast mates have made strides in cementing the female role in the arts on Kalamazoo College’s campus. Although Fox said that the theater department is very open to females (the majority of the directors have been females in the past), she feels that this play certainly opens up new ideas of the female role and hopes that this is spread to the campus. “I don't think the theatre department harbors any biases against women and I'd say that it's an exceptionally feminist department. But in terms of our campus, I'd say that women are still fighting an uphill battle,” said Fox.
Along with Fox and the theater department, other such contributors to the arts have made impacts for the women on our campus. Rachel Silander, a senior music major, focused her entire Senior Individualized Project (SIP) on music and sexual taboos, starting with the oppression of women in the 1920’s. “I think women have to struggle a little bit more and be a bit more talented in order to live up to the [music] standard whereas men who may have a decent voice are more likely to go farther as long as they are entertaining,” said Silander. Given these divides, she wanted to find a SIP that would explore these struggles for women in the music industry, especially those in musical theater.
Although the music department is heavily female-weighted, Silander believes that women can always work to make a mark in the arts, such as music. “Music gives a sense of power for women. They can gain a lot of respect from it. With two women's singing groups on campus I think it also creates a sense of solidarity among women that you can't necessarily find elsewhere on our campus,” she said. These women are working together.
Not only are they working together within departments but with other departments as well. Silander, as a music major not a theater major, mentioned The Tempest when describing examples of how women are taking back the arts at Kalamazoo College. This is exactly what Fox wanted with the play—to make an impact on the entire campus with a fight for feminism, not just the theater department. “Ask most men (and even women) about their thoughts on feminism, and I don't think they would have very nice things to say. It's still a very misunderstood concept, not only at K but everywhere, and I know that feminists on campus don't necessarily feel that their voices are being heard. So maybe they should give our theatre a try,” exclaimed Fox.
Like Fox, Laura Marshall, a senior art major, feels that the arts are a good way for women to express themselves. “The art programs on our campus may attract more females but that makes sense given the gender breakdown in general. But I don’t think this should stop women from excelling and trying even harder to make a difference in the arts, especially on such a small campus. The more exposure the better,” she said. “I even see my art major working hand-in-hand with my psychology major at times. We discuss a lot of women’s studies in our Feminist Psychology class so I often bring up my work in the arts. It’s not just about within our departments but all the women in the arts programs working with the entire campus.”
One of the main events that each female mentioned, that seeks to unify the campus and the women involved in our arts is The Tempest. “In Shakespeare's time, women weren't even allowed to act, so men and boys played all the roles. Now, of course, there are more images of women onstage, although not always flattering or strong ones. Our production of The Tempest seeks to rectify this and create strong female roles out of historically male roles. It's pretty exciting to be in the audience as a woman, then, and see these incredibly powerful and three-dimensional women onstage,” said Fox. This play has positively affected the women on our campus, and Fox, Silander, and Marshall all hope it has done the same for men.
Whether theater, music, or the arts in general, the women on Kalamazoo College’s campus agree on one thing: equality. No matter the art, each woman strives for equal acceptance and equal representation. They all understand that this is not the current situation in societies, so their actions to propel Kalamazoo College in the right direction have been necessary and beneficial for all.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Responses to Pieces: Workshop Pt. I (Week 9)
Response to Claire's "Michigan Smoking Ban: All Smoke and No Fire?"
I really liked this immersion-type piece. I liked how you would mention your pack of Camel cigarettes or yourself wandering a bar or cafe with your drink. I think these things made it believable for the reader to understand your point of view and see that you really put herself into the situations. One thing that threw me off at times was the transitions between locations. It just seemed to jump a little bit. As I read, I eventually understood the transitions but it took a second before I really felt like they flowed together. I also was wondering what happened with the Waldo's situation. Was there a bouncer or management member around to talk to? Did they say that they don't really enforce either? Or that they are half-assing it? I really liked the personal aspect that you put into the piece, so I was wondering if more of other voices could go in it as well? Or would that be too many voices? Overall, I really enjoyed reading your piece.
Response to Joel's "Meeting the Band Draft"
You can really tell that you spent time on your subject and invested yourself in them. I liked the quotes you put in because you really get a feel for the band. You did a great job of capturing the band's mentality and aura with the quotes and the descriptions. One thing that threw me off was the form/structure. You have a lot of longer sentences (lots of commas), so I would definitely rework them to make sure sentence structure is not too redundant. I really enjoyed the piece, but I was stuck when I tried to think of the exact conflict. Especially with the last few sentences at the end, I get a review/promotion type feel, trying to convince us to applaud them. So that threw the conflict off a little bit for me. Overall, I think this was a great draft and can definitely see your interest in the band.
Response to Jess'"Amidst Smaller Acceptance Rates, KAMSC Students are Still Getting In"
I really liked reading your piece. I thought the organization and flow of the piece was great--one section went to the next with meaning and purpose. You can definitely tell that you did a lot of reporting and really thought about how to structure all of it into the story. You included the information in a great way so it was easy to comprehend as a reader and apply to the story at hand. One thing that I questioned was that this felt like a very newspaper/news-y story. I liked when the student has a voice at the end but besides that it seems like a very straight-forward and news-focused story. I think the quotes definitely add to the narrative aspect of the story, though--because you get to hear Streeter's voice and you can tell he's a unique man. At times, the quotes did get a little confusing to read though (probably because of the conversational aspect of it). Besides that I think that your piece was well-organized and well-researched and that definitely impressed me.
Response to Anna's "Park Trades Center Draft"
I think that your piece was structured well--you gave good descriptions of each section. I wanted to see more of them tied together. I like when you mention the KBAC and Glass Center collaborating because that really adds to the sense of community in the Trades Center--so I think more of this feel would be great. Until the end of the last paragraph, it is mostly description of each section (which were great), and then we finally see what the conflict is/all of the different areas coming together. I think this could definitely be used earlier in the piece. You do this well with your physical descriptions (the staircase winding down and connecting all of the areas, etc), but I wanted to see more of the actual events that bring them together (like the two companies collaborating). Not to take away from the descriptions thought, because I thought they were fabulous!
Response to Myles' "Parchment's Abandoned Factories/Working Title"
I really loved all of your descriptions. I thought you did a great job of describing what you were seeing and how it was something that perhaps the rest of us have never seen before. I think that having these descriptions throughout the entire piece instead of mainly the beginning would be nice. In the first three paragraphs, you use a lot of semi-colons and em-dashes--so I would definitely rework sentence structure to break-up run-ons. All of your descriptions are so good that it would be a waste for them to get lost in one big, long sentence. I think that I would like more voices in the piece. Who is this affecting besides Curt Flowers. What about the people that live(d) there? Overall, I think there needs to be more conflict in the story: is it that the mills shut down? that Curt wants them back? both? I would have more of this conflict throughout the story and not just the end. I really like what you have so far, the descriptions are great.
I really liked this immersion-type piece. I liked how you would mention your pack of Camel cigarettes or yourself wandering a bar or cafe with your drink. I think these things made it believable for the reader to understand your point of view and see that you really put herself into the situations. One thing that threw me off at times was the transitions between locations. It just seemed to jump a little bit. As I read, I eventually understood the transitions but it took a second before I really felt like they flowed together. I also was wondering what happened with the Waldo's situation. Was there a bouncer or management member around to talk to? Did they say that they don't really enforce either? Or that they are half-assing it? I really liked the personal aspect that you put into the piece, so I was wondering if more of other voices could go in it as well? Or would that be too many voices? Overall, I really enjoyed reading your piece.
Response to Joel's "Meeting the Band Draft"
You can really tell that you spent time on your subject and invested yourself in them. I liked the quotes you put in because you really get a feel for the band. You did a great job of capturing the band's mentality and aura with the quotes and the descriptions. One thing that threw me off was the form/structure. You have a lot of longer sentences (lots of commas), so I would definitely rework them to make sure sentence structure is not too redundant. I really enjoyed the piece, but I was stuck when I tried to think of the exact conflict. Especially with the last few sentences at the end, I get a review/promotion type feel, trying to convince us to applaud them. So that threw the conflict off a little bit for me. Overall, I think this was a great draft and can definitely see your interest in the band.
Response to Jess'"Amidst Smaller Acceptance Rates, KAMSC Students are Still Getting In"
I really liked reading your piece. I thought the organization and flow of the piece was great--one section went to the next with meaning and purpose. You can definitely tell that you did a lot of reporting and really thought about how to structure all of it into the story. You included the information in a great way so it was easy to comprehend as a reader and apply to the story at hand. One thing that I questioned was that this felt like a very newspaper/news-y story. I liked when the student has a voice at the end but besides that it seems like a very straight-forward and news-focused story. I think the quotes definitely add to the narrative aspect of the story, though--because you get to hear Streeter's voice and you can tell he's a unique man. At times, the quotes did get a little confusing to read though (probably because of the conversational aspect of it). Besides that I think that your piece was well-organized and well-researched and that definitely impressed me.
Response to Anna's "Park Trades Center Draft"
I think that your piece was structured well--you gave good descriptions of each section. I wanted to see more of them tied together. I like when you mention the KBAC and Glass Center collaborating because that really adds to the sense of community in the Trades Center--so I think more of this feel would be great. Until the end of the last paragraph, it is mostly description of each section (which were great), and then we finally see what the conflict is/all of the different areas coming together. I think this could definitely be used earlier in the piece. You do this well with your physical descriptions (the staircase winding down and connecting all of the areas, etc), but I wanted to see more of the actual events that bring them together (like the two companies collaborating). Not to take away from the descriptions thought, because I thought they were fabulous!
Response to Myles' "Parchment's Abandoned Factories/Working Title"
I really loved all of your descriptions. I thought you did a great job of describing what you were seeing and how it was something that perhaps the rest of us have never seen before. I think that having these descriptions throughout the entire piece instead of mainly the beginning would be nice. In the first three paragraphs, you use a lot of semi-colons and em-dashes--so I would definitely rework sentence structure to break-up run-ons. All of your descriptions are so good that it would be a waste for them to get lost in one big, long sentence. I think that I would like more voices in the piece. Who is this affecting besides Curt Flowers. What about the people that live(d) there? Overall, I think there needs to be more conflict in the story: is it that the mills shut down? that Curt wants them back? both? I would have more of this conflict throughout the story and not just the end. I really like what you have so far, the descriptions are great.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Final Draft of Profile Piece
“Turning Points”
Amy Rodgers dreams of pirouettes even after her ballet career has ended—showcasing her skills and her tutu-fitting body line as she lifts her leg to her knee, spinning around gracefully on the tips of her toes. Pirouette is the step “to turn” in ballet terms—the number of turns increases as he or she develops their skill. “I still dream about it. Doing perfect turns or untying my Pointe shoes,” said Rodgers with a nostalgic smile.
Rodgers started her ballet career on the late side, two months from 13 years old, in New York. “When I was around 12, I saw Flash Dance and said, ‘Oh, I want to do this!’ It was because of that. Embarrassing, but absolutely true.” Throwing herself into the art at full force after her movie-inspired classes, she landed her first job by age 16 with the Washington Ballet. She then also danced at the Atlanta Ballet as a soloist until she tore a tendon in her foot, forcing her to take a year off. Although Rodgers attempted a return to ballet, she realized that she had other things to devote her life to.
“I waited tables in New York, mostly because my dad got annoyed I was watching T.V. at home,” she said with a smirk, “I met all these people who were writing and acting, and they’d all been to college. I thought they were the most interesting people I had ever met.” This propelled her to apply to and attend Columbia University at 24.
During college, Rodgers developed an interest for film, especially with her ballet background gravitating her toward another type of art: “I think there is something detail-oriented about dancers that has helped influence the way that I have worked with texts and films. Especially with ballet—your hand, or all the little details you have to be aware of all the time,” Rodgers said, “I spent so much time thinking about audiences and thinking about their point of view.” Finding her niche in film, Rodgers continued her studies in graduate school at the University of Michigan.
School helped Rodgers to start to develop her ideas on feminism. “I became aware of the movement when I went to college. I became conscious of what it meant other than what you hear on ‘School House Rock’ with women’s’ rights” she said laughing. A class at Michigan that emphasized these newfound thoughts was Gaylyn Studlar’s “Hitchcock and Feminism.” Rodgers became so enthralled with this concept, that she brought the class to Kalamazoo College where she is doing her post-doctoral teaching fellowship in order to become a professor at a liberal arts school.
Rodgers has fit right in with the Kalamazoo College crowd. “When I think about her virtues, I think others of my colleagues have those virtues,” said Andrew Mozina, head of the English department. “She is extremely energetic in the classroom. Her mind is really quick so she is very agile in discussions.”
She maintains composure throughout her classes. She split the class into smaller groups so they could discuss readings and the film. Rodgers inserted herself into a group, acting as a student rather than a facilitator. The only thing that separated her was her brightly colored floral capris that she is known for. She said that staying still is hard for her. “Walking around is my thing,” Rodgers said, as her vibrant pants flowed with each step.
“Amy is so energetic that she never struggles to hold the class's focus. And while she is incredibly intelligent, she never acts as if her insights are superior to a student's,” said Laura Fox, a senior in the class.
Rodgers combines her passion of teaching and of feminism and film to encourage the class in finding the importance of this discourse and why it needs to be talked about for them. “What does feminism mean to me? It means an awareness of how women exist in the culture that they occupy and ideally, it means making both men and women aware of that,” she said. “I want my students to engage with those ideas of feminism instead of just accept them. I hope for all to have a more creative understanding of what feminism is."
Now that Rodgers has developed her thoughts on feminism, she has been able to think back to her dancing days and think critically about that particular lifestyle. “I accepted the paradigms and aesthetics of ballet,” she said. “I certainly wanted my body to look like how I was told.” She aimed for the skinny waist, lack of breasts, and a bodyline that never faltered in any direction. Dancing has become a heated subject when it comes to feminism because of these body demands. Rodgers never really thought about feminism and dancing while she was a ballerina, mostly because she believed in her role as a dancer. But now she understands that there are issues.
“I think there is a problem in ballet that so many of the choreographers are male,” she said. Rodgers explained that male choreographers have a different sense of body image than females. Every day, dancers struggle with body issues and the ideal look, but she hopes that this will not remain. “There’s more to it than that. I think there are ways that dance, and ballet in particular, glorifies women.”
Times are turning, and Rodgers embraces feminism into both her past and her present life, whether focusing on film, pirouettes, or even family. “I’m surrounded by men! I have a husband and two little boys, and I’m very fortunate to have a husband that is supportive and does traditionally more feminine things,” she said. “I enjoy my kids, but I really enjoy my career.” Rodgers is trying to find ways to reconcile aspects of feminism with her life. “For me it means just trying to be comfortable with who I am, which I wasn’t always, but now I am a lot more, and anyone can always work on that.”
Amy Rodgers dreams of pirouettes even after her ballet career has ended—showcasing her skills and her tutu-fitting body line as she lifts her leg to her knee, spinning around gracefully on the tips of her toes. Pirouette is the step “to turn” in ballet terms—the number of turns increases as he or she develops their skill. “I still dream about it. Doing perfect turns or untying my Pointe shoes,” said Rodgers with a nostalgic smile.
Rodgers started her ballet career on the late side, two months from 13 years old, in New York. “When I was around 12, I saw Flash Dance and said, ‘Oh, I want to do this!’ It was because of that. Embarrassing, but absolutely true.” Throwing herself into the art at full force after her movie-inspired classes, she landed her first job by age 16 with the Washington Ballet. She then also danced at the Atlanta Ballet as a soloist until she tore a tendon in her foot, forcing her to take a year off. Although Rodgers attempted a return to ballet, she realized that she had other things to devote her life to.
“I waited tables in New York, mostly because my dad got annoyed I was watching T.V. at home,” she said with a smirk, “I met all these people who were writing and acting, and they’d all been to college. I thought they were the most interesting people I had ever met.” This propelled her to apply to and attend Columbia University at 24.
During college, Rodgers developed an interest for film, especially with her ballet background gravitating her toward another type of art: “I think there is something detail-oriented about dancers that has helped influence the way that I have worked with texts and films. Especially with ballet—your hand, or all the little details you have to be aware of all the time,” Rodgers said, “I spent so much time thinking about audiences and thinking about their point of view.” Finding her niche in film, Rodgers continued her studies in graduate school at the University of Michigan.
School helped Rodgers to start to develop her ideas on feminism. “I became aware of the movement when I went to college. I became conscious of what it meant other than what you hear on ‘School House Rock’ with women’s’ rights” she said laughing. A class at Michigan that emphasized these newfound thoughts was Gaylyn Studlar’s “Hitchcock and Feminism.” Rodgers became so enthralled with this concept, that she brought the class to Kalamazoo College where she is doing her post-doctoral teaching fellowship in order to become a professor at a liberal arts school.
Rodgers has fit right in with the Kalamazoo College crowd. “When I think about her virtues, I think others of my colleagues have those virtues,” said Andrew Mozina, head of the English department. “She is extremely energetic in the classroom. Her mind is really quick so she is very agile in discussions.”
She maintains composure throughout her classes. She split the class into smaller groups so they could discuss readings and the film. Rodgers inserted herself into a group, acting as a student rather than a facilitator. The only thing that separated her was her brightly colored floral capris that she is known for. She said that staying still is hard for her. “Walking around is my thing,” Rodgers said, as her vibrant pants flowed with each step.
“Amy is so energetic that she never struggles to hold the class's focus. And while she is incredibly intelligent, she never acts as if her insights are superior to a student's,” said Laura Fox, a senior in the class.
Rodgers combines her passion of teaching and of feminism and film to encourage the class in finding the importance of this discourse and why it needs to be talked about for them. “What does feminism mean to me? It means an awareness of how women exist in the culture that they occupy and ideally, it means making both men and women aware of that,” she said. “I want my students to engage with those ideas of feminism instead of just accept them. I hope for all to have a more creative understanding of what feminism is."
Now that Rodgers has developed her thoughts on feminism, she has been able to think back to her dancing days and think critically about that particular lifestyle. “I accepted the paradigms and aesthetics of ballet,” she said. “I certainly wanted my body to look like how I was told.” She aimed for the skinny waist, lack of breasts, and a bodyline that never faltered in any direction. Dancing has become a heated subject when it comes to feminism because of these body demands. Rodgers never really thought about feminism and dancing while she was a ballerina, mostly because she believed in her role as a dancer. But now she understands that there are issues.
“I think there is a problem in ballet that so many of the choreographers are male,” she said. Rodgers explained that male choreographers have a different sense of body image than females. Every day, dancers struggle with body issues and the ideal look, but she hopes that this will not remain. “There’s more to it than that. I think there are ways that dance, and ballet in particular, glorifies women.”
Times are turning, and Rodgers embraces feminism into both her past and her present life, whether focusing on film, pirouettes, or even family. “I’m surrounded by men! I have a husband and two little boys, and I’m very fortunate to have a husband that is supportive and does traditionally more feminine things,” she said. “I enjoy my kids, but I really enjoy my career.” Rodgers is trying to find ways to reconcile aspects of feminism with her life. “For me it means just trying to be comfortable with who I am, which I wasn’t always, but now I am a lot more, and anyone can always work on that.”
Monday, May 17, 2010
Reading Response (Week 8)
This chapter in "Telling True Stories" was very interesting because ethics is an aspect that we have not really discussed yet. I think that this quote sums my concerns up best: "The way we remember things is not necessarily the way they were. This makes memoir, by definition, a form in which reality and imagination blur into a fourth genre. The problems of memory also infect journalism when reporters, in describing the memories of sources and witnesses, wind up lending authority to a kind of fiction" (165). How can we tell when something is not exactly the "way they were"? Also, in Part VI of this section, Harrington talks about the code for journalists. In the end, he says that if you have not found things about a subject that should NOT become public, then you are not a good journalist. He also says that it is impossible to go intimately into people's live without running into difficulties of choosing what to reveal and what not to. This really struck me because I realized that the extra push in interviews is really important Especially because it was hard for me to become very personal/feel comfortable, becoming personal and deeper into their personal lives was hard. I definitely could feel the opening up with the second interview with Amy though and kind of wish that I could have read this quote before to encourage me to open even more.
There was something about "Access" that lost me until the end. The end kept me attached, but throughout it, I was very wishy-washy about the message and the narrative used to tell it. It was hard for me to get into. I felt like part of me was very stubborn with the "I don't relate or understand" mentality and would not open to the piece. But at the same time, what was it about the writer's style that made me not want to stop thinking that way?
"Why I Write" was really interesting to me. To start, looking at the page, you see the word I all over. Before you even start reading, I pops out at you, and I think this really emphasizes the personal aspect of writing that Orwell wanted to portray. Usually the repetition of structure and redundancy of words is boring to a reader, but in this case I thought it was very effective. The four great motives were really interesting--I think I related to the second motive the most--having the desire to share an experience through my own words that I feel others should hear. I never really thought of writer's to have these 4 main motives--I forget about a political purpose a lot of the time so that fourth motive was a new one for me especially when he says "no book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude."
There was something about "Access" that lost me until the end. The end kept me attached, but throughout it, I was very wishy-washy about the message and the narrative used to tell it. It was hard for me to get into. I felt like part of me was very stubborn with the "I don't relate or understand" mentality and would not open to the piece. But at the same time, what was it about the writer's style that made me not want to stop thinking that way?
"Why I Write" was really interesting to me. To start, looking at the page, you see the word I all over. Before you even start reading, I pops out at you, and I think this really emphasizes the personal aspect of writing that Orwell wanted to portray. Usually the repetition of structure and redundancy of words is boring to a reader, but in this case I thought it was very effective. The four great motives were really interesting--I think I related to the second motive the most--having the desire to share an experience through my own words that I feel others should hear. I never really thought of writer's to have these 4 main motives--I forget about a political purpose a lot of the time so that fourth motive was a new one for me especially when he says "no book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude."
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Reading Response (Week 7)
First, I was so impressed with how Talese could write such an article without having met Sinatra. The details, the descriptions, his actions—it seemed like Talese knew him personally. “Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel -- only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence, and it affects not only his own psyche but also seems to cause a kind of psychosomatic nasal drip within dozens of people who work for him, drink with him, love him, depend on him for their own welfare and stability. A Sinatra with a cold can, in a small way, send vibrations through the entertainment industry and beyond as surely as a President of the United States, suddenly sick, can shake the national economy.” It seems like such a simple thing—having a cold, but Talese goes onto describe this like he knows exactly how Sinatra was acting, living, and changing because of this simple cold. How does he find all of these details of Sinatra and his friends without meeting them? Just before the light turned green, Sinatra turned toward her, looked directly into her eyes waiting for the reaction he knew would come. It came and he smiled. She smiled and he was gone. How did he capture such emotion?
The Last Taboo was also very interesting to read. What drew me in was definitely the first opening paragraph. I’ve noticed that articles that open with setting the scene and descriptions are the one’s that are most appealing and entertaining. It is hard to describe such a controversial issue in an entertaining way, but Whitty succeeds by combining these important ideas with physical descriptions of what’s going on. The side bar of population stats and charts also kept me drawn into the article and also gave a quick and bold way of showing just what is going on. Reading through this, I wondered how Whitty would conclude the article without preaching and without presenting her opinion. I think that she ended effectively, returning to her descriptions and people’s actions—this ends the article with actual events and hope, perhaps, instead of giving an outright response.
Although Making a Success of Her Messiness on Two Coasts did not open with a flow of descriptions and scene setting, I thought it was still so straightforward that it was effective. It goes right into conflict in the article, getting to the point of what Meriwhether has done. The end also is effective—giving readers the sense of Meriwhether’s hope to continue both theater and Hollywood—the ending quote is effective in summing up the article.
The Rolling Stones return to Exile did not capture me like the other articles did. It was hard for me to get drawn in, perhaps because I do not have a passion for the Rolling Stones. I felt like the article was written for people that perhaps have some sort of background already, so I had a hard to picturing characters and scenes. One thing that did help this though, were the quotes—the voices helped me to create an image and a setting. Like Hochschild wrote accuracy, atmosphere, dialogue, and emotion are important in building character and reconstructing scene. I feel that this article did not do all of the above to its best potential—this is something I struggle with, really including these key elements. I really liked that he said we must make our writing believable without “inventing” things. “It’s important to show that you aren’t, that every crucial detail—especially every quote—has a source” (135). Especially with quotes, I struggle with contextualizing them and making it believable so now I know that it’s definitely something to work on to make works more believable and relatable.
The Last Taboo was also very interesting to read. What drew me in was definitely the first opening paragraph. I’ve noticed that articles that open with setting the scene and descriptions are the one’s that are most appealing and entertaining. It is hard to describe such a controversial issue in an entertaining way, but Whitty succeeds by combining these important ideas with physical descriptions of what’s going on. The side bar of population stats and charts also kept me drawn into the article and also gave a quick and bold way of showing just what is going on. Reading through this, I wondered how Whitty would conclude the article without preaching and without presenting her opinion. I think that she ended effectively, returning to her descriptions and people’s actions—this ends the article with actual events and hope, perhaps, instead of giving an outright response.
Although Making a Success of Her Messiness on Two Coasts did not open with a flow of descriptions and scene setting, I thought it was still so straightforward that it was effective. It goes right into conflict in the article, getting to the point of what Meriwhether has done. The end also is effective—giving readers the sense of Meriwhether’s hope to continue both theater and Hollywood—the ending quote is effective in summing up the article.
The Rolling Stones return to Exile did not capture me like the other articles did. It was hard for me to get drawn in, perhaps because I do not have a passion for the Rolling Stones. I felt like the article was written for people that perhaps have some sort of background already, so I had a hard to picturing characters and scenes. One thing that did help this though, were the quotes—the voices helped me to create an image and a setting. Like Hochschild wrote accuracy, atmosphere, dialogue, and emotion are important in building character and reconstructing scene. I feel that this article did not do all of the above to its best potential—this is something I struggle with, really including these key elements. I really liked that he said we must make our writing believable without “inventing” things. “It’s important to show that you aren’t, that every crucial detail—especially every quote—has a source” (135). Especially with quotes, I struggle with contextualizing them and making it believable so now I know that it’s definitely something to work on to make works more believable and relatable.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Response to Munirah's "Profile Draft"
Munirah did a good job of describing the scene at Dairy Mart—all of the hustle and bustle and in-and-out traffic. But I want to hear about the people that are there and why they are that. What makes them return there all the time? The beginning of this piece has started out pretty well with all the descriptions, but now Munirah has to include quotes and people in the setting (perhaps the owner or someone with close connection with the store).
There also needs to be a conflict developed in this piece. Why is Dairy Mart there? Why is it sketchy sometimes? The odd ambiance of the place could be a good place to start in order to develop this piece more. Or maybe the change in smoking laws have drastically changed the sales and the linger-ers around the store? That could be an interesting angle once Munirah talks to the owner and delves deeper into what makes Dairy Mart a good place to profile. It's clearly still a work in progress so it'll drastically change by the final draft.
There also needs to be a conflict developed in this piece. Why is Dairy Mart there? Why is it sketchy sometimes? The odd ambiance of the place could be a good place to start in order to develop this piece more. Or maybe the change in smoking laws have drastically changed the sales and the linger-ers around the store? That could be an interesting angle once Munirah talks to the owner and delves deeper into what makes Dairy Mart a good place to profile. It's clearly still a work in progress so it'll drastically change by the final draft.
Response to Joel's "Union Piece"
Joel's piece was interesting to read, especially with the quotes from the bartender and the regular visitors. It gives the piece a good inside. Overall, I felt like the piece was more a review than a profile--I felt like it was trying to convince me why the Union was awesome and I should go to it instead of going in depth to what the Union is and why its important. Joel started to get at this a few times--the diversity of the place in terms of gender, race, everything, all the age groups that go there, etc. But I wanted there to be even more about that, in detail.
You can tell that Joel has interesting information about the Union and found new things while he stayed there for observation--so I want to see more of that in the piece. I also think that shortening paragraphs and changing up sentence structure would help the flow as well (there are a lot of repeated words and phrases). Overall, it's a good start, but a conflict needs to be developed stronger throughout the piece.
You can tell that Joel has interesting information about the Union and found new things while he stayed there for observation--so I want to see more of that in the piece. I also think that shortening paragraphs and changing up sentence structure would help the flow as well (there are a lot of repeated words and phrases). Overall, it's a good start, but a conflict needs to be developed stronger throughout the piece.
Response to Claire's "Kalamazoo College's Organic Gardents Want to Harvest Ideals"
I thought that Claire's piece was very organized and flowed together very well--I thought that the descriptions were spread out well throughout the piece, so each aspect was detailed (Gardening class to D.I.R.T. to individuals). I also liked that the ending tied together both organic gardens with the same passion, and I also loved the ending line--it summed up the article nicely, tying back to events from the beginning of the article.
This kind of a general question that I struggled with--but how do you decide whether to use someone's last name or first name after they've been referenced for the first time? Is there a certain rule about that? I didn't really know what to do for my piece so I thought I'd ask. I saw that Claire used all first names so I was just wondering if that was a choice to do so or a rule.
So overall, the piece profiles the organic gardens in general on Kalamazoo College's campus, I think. I thought Claire did a nice job of tying all of the aspects of this together.
This kind of a general question that I struggled with--but how do you decide whether to use someone's last name or first name after they've been referenced for the first time? Is there a certain rule about that? I didn't really know what to do for my piece so I thought I'd ask. I saw that Claire used all first names so I was just wondering if that was a choice to do so or a rule.
So overall, the piece profiles the organic gardens in general on Kalamazoo College's campus, I think. I thought Claire did a nice job of tying all of the aspects of this together.
Response to Anna's "Songs of the Earth"
I really felt the earthy and laid-back nature of Victor through the descriptions and the quotes that Anna used and I really enjoyed that. What an interesting person to profile! I love the aspects of music and nature that are described, and there you see the conflict between them that is reconciled by the end of the article. I thought that Anna's piece was well-organized and that she chose wisely with the details, events, and descriptions that she included. Also, the transitions between ideas were very well-done and made the article flow and easy to understand.
I was a little bit confused at the end of the third paragraph and the series of events. So, did Victor say the last quote in response to what Anna said, or in general? Were the condescending remarks sexist toward males and their jobs? Or what Victor's profession is in general?
I also am on the fence about the end. I like that it ends with him saying that the country boy will win out and defining his identity with that. But I also feel like this paragraph would be great description of him at the beginning of the article. It talks about his background and his preference for the country, but that doesn't close up the music and nature aspects of his life like I was waiting for. I like the paragraph, but maybe earlier instead?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading about Victor and I can really tell that Anna invested her time and her interest in the topic!
I was a little bit confused at the end of the third paragraph and the series of events. So, did Victor say the last quote in response to what Anna said, or in general? Were the condescending remarks sexist toward males and their jobs? Or what Victor's profession is in general?
I also am on the fence about the end. I like that it ends with him saying that the country boy will win out and defining his identity with that. But I also feel like this paragraph would be great description of him at the beginning of the article. It talks about his background and his preference for the country, but that doesn't close up the music and nature aspects of his life like I was waiting for. I like the paragraph, but maybe earlier instead?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading about Victor and I can really tell that Anna invested her time and her interest in the topic!
Writing Process (Week 6)
Profile Piece Writing Process
I'll be honest--this was really, really hard to write for me. I had NO idea what to include, what to take out, or anything really. The hardest part for me was starting. Even with all of the interview information (Amy gave me GREAT info and amazing quotes), I didn't know where to start or what angle to take. I decided on the feminism in Amy's life because it's something that ties all of her interests and arts together. But even after choosing that and even after writing this piece, I still feel like it's wandering and doesn't have a clear focus. It was hard to sum up Amy in 1,000 words or less and only pick a few things to focus on.
Something I really enjoyed was interviewing Amy. As others said, I was nervous about interviewing, even though I've had her as a teacher before. To every question I asked, Amy gave such thoughtful answers but without strain or force. I loved just listening to her talk about her passions and her life through the contexts of ballet and also her Hitchcock and Feminism class. Sitting in the class was also interesting--I still need to complete another interview for the final draft.
Although I struggled to write this, I still enjoyed it. Even though it got frustrating, it felt good when a certain form fell into place or a quote fit perfectly into words.
One thing I had a question about/struggled with: is it better to find a quote and then start writing around it? Or to write, then a quote somehow falls into that place?
I'll be honest--this was really, really hard to write for me. I had NO idea what to include, what to take out, or anything really. The hardest part for me was starting. Even with all of the interview information (Amy gave me GREAT info and amazing quotes), I didn't know where to start or what angle to take. I decided on the feminism in Amy's life because it's something that ties all of her interests and arts together. But even after choosing that and even after writing this piece, I still feel like it's wandering and doesn't have a clear focus. It was hard to sum up Amy in 1,000 words or less and only pick a few things to focus on.
Something I really enjoyed was interviewing Amy. As others said, I was nervous about interviewing, even though I've had her as a teacher before. To every question I asked, Amy gave such thoughtful answers but without strain or force. I loved just listening to her talk about her passions and her life through the contexts of ballet and also her Hitchcock and Feminism class. Sitting in the class was also interesting--I still need to complete another interview for the final draft.
Although I struggled to write this, I still enjoyed it. Even though it got frustrating, it felt good when a certain form fell into place or a quote fit perfectly into words.
One thing I had a question about/struggled with: is it better to find a quote and then start writing around it? Or to write, then a quote somehow falls into that place?
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Profile Piece (Week 6)
“Turning Times of Amy Rodgers and Feminism”
Amy Rodgers dreams of pirouettes—showcasing her skills and her tutu-fitting body line as she lifts her leg to her knee, spinning around gracefully on the tips of her toes, circling around multiple times. Pirouette is the step “to turn” in ballet terms—the dancer spiraling with centered placement and alignment. The amount of turns increase as he or she develops their skill. “I still dream about it. Doing perfect turns or missing an entrance or untying my Pointe shoes,” said Rodgers with a nostalgic smile. But for Rodgers, life has not just been about turning faster and better, but also turning the page to new experiences and the realm of feminism within it.
Rodgers started her ballet career on the late side, two months from 13 years old, in New York. Catching onto the art quickly, she landed her first job by age 16 with the Washington Ballet. She then danced at the Joffrey Ballet and also the Atlanta Ballet as a soloist until she tore a tendon in her foot that forced her to take a year off from the world of dance. The Atlanta Ballet was a part of a union company—so she was given a two-year hold to take a break and rehabilitate, eventually to rejoin the company.
“I accepted the paradigms and aesthetics of ballet,” said Rodgers. “I certainly wanted my body to look like how I was told.” Rodgers aimed for the skinny waist, lack of breasts, and a bodyline that never faltered in any direction. Dancing has become a heated subject when it comes to feminism and anti-feminism because of these body demands. Rodgers never really thought about feminism and dancing while she was a ballerina, mostly because she was in tunnel-vision and understood the role as a dancer.
“I think there is a problem in ballet that so many of the choreographers are male.” Male choreographers have a different sense of body image than females. Every day, dancers struggle with body issues and the ideal look, but Rodgers hopes that this will not remain. “There’s more to it than that. I think there are ways that dance, and ballet in particular, glorifies women. George Balanchine always used to say ‘Ballet is Women.’”
Rodgers found herself drifting from the dance world and looking back on it, she believes that the pain, and questioning of the lifestyle are what drove her to quitting. “I waited tables in New York, mostly because my dad got annoyed I was watching T.V. at home,” she said with a smirk, “I met all these people who were writing and acting, and they’d all been to college. I thought they were the most interesting people I had ever met,” she said. Although Rodgers returned to ballet for a year, she was not happy, and could not fit herself back into “narrowness of that lifestyle”—it was no longer worth the body pains and diets. This propelled her to apply to college at 24-years old.
Rodgers’ interest in the arts flourished at Columbia University. “I think there is something detail-oriented about dancers that has helped influence the way that I have worked with texts and films. Especially with ballet—your hand, or all the little details you have to be aware of all the time,” Rodgers said, “I spent so much time thinking about audiences and thinking about their point of view.”
After succeeding at Columbia, Rodgers received her masters in film from the University of Michigan. “I think this is something that came out of my dance background—I’m very influenced by teachers. Like in dance, there are people that really invest in you. And I sought that out.” She worked closely with film theorist Gaylyn Studlar and her Hitchcock and Feminism class—because of the great ideas and influences she experienced with the class, she brought it to Kalamazoo College, hoping for students to find use in the topic as well.
Students flocked to her film class: “Sometime during fall quarter, I heard that this class would be offered this spring, and I cleared my schedule to make sure I could take it! I love Hitchcock and I thought it would be fascinating to study his work in general, and especially through a feminist lens,” said Laura Fox, a senior English major.
Rodgers maintains a laid-back ambiance throughout her classes. During my visit, she split the class into smaller groups so they could discuss readings and the film in more detail. Rodgers inserted herself into a group, acting as a student rather than a facilitator. The only thing that separated her was her brightly-colored floral capris that she is known for.
“Amy is so energetic that she never struggles to hold the class's focus. And while she is incredibly intelligent, she never acts as if her insights are superior to a student's. She's down-to-earth and approachable, and she truly makes learning an exciting experience,” said Fox. During the lecture, she said “Walking around is my thing,” as her vibrant pants flowed with each step.
Rodgers combines her passion of teaching and of feminism and film to encourage the class in finding the importance of this discourse and why it needs to be talked about for them. “I want them to engage with those ideas of feminism instead of just accept them,” she said.
As Rodgers has created a class to emphasize Hitchcock’s films through a feminist lens, she has also taken a step back to think about feminism as a whole throughout her lifetime. She believes that if she were dancing now, her ideas on feminism would have created a rift in her life. “You can’t think of things as oh, this is anti-feminist, this is feminist. You have to really buy into it and believe in it. Once I started questioning this belief is when I left the world [of dance]. I don’t know if those things [ballet and feminism] can be reconciled” she said. “Twenty years ago, a conversation about anti-feminism and dance wouldn’t have happened. I think it’s an important place for these conversations to happen.”
Rodgers has developed feminism not only in the realm of film, but also of theater, dance, and the arts in general. Times are turning, and Rodgers embraces it into both her past and her present life, whether focusing on film or pirouettes. She still dreams of ballet and completing more pirouettes. Rodgers said, “I hope for all to have a more creative understanding of what feminism is, what it tries to do, and where it falls short of doing that.”
Amy Rodgers dreams of pirouettes—showcasing her skills and her tutu-fitting body line as she lifts her leg to her knee, spinning around gracefully on the tips of her toes, circling around multiple times. Pirouette is the step “to turn” in ballet terms—the dancer spiraling with centered placement and alignment. The amount of turns increase as he or she develops their skill. “I still dream about it. Doing perfect turns or missing an entrance or untying my Pointe shoes,” said Rodgers with a nostalgic smile. But for Rodgers, life has not just been about turning faster and better, but also turning the page to new experiences and the realm of feminism within it.
Rodgers started her ballet career on the late side, two months from 13 years old, in New York. Catching onto the art quickly, she landed her first job by age 16 with the Washington Ballet. She then danced at the Joffrey Ballet and also the Atlanta Ballet as a soloist until she tore a tendon in her foot that forced her to take a year off from the world of dance. The Atlanta Ballet was a part of a union company—so she was given a two-year hold to take a break and rehabilitate, eventually to rejoin the company.
“I accepted the paradigms and aesthetics of ballet,” said Rodgers. “I certainly wanted my body to look like how I was told.” Rodgers aimed for the skinny waist, lack of breasts, and a bodyline that never faltered in any direction. Dancing has become a heated subject when it comes to feminism and anti-feminism because of these body demands. Rodgers never really thought about feminism and dancing while she was a ballerina, mostly because she was in tunnel-vision and understood the role as a dancer.
“I think there is a problem in ballet that so many of the choreographers are male.” Male choreographers have a different sense of body image than females. Every day, dancers struggle with body issues and the ideal look, but Rodgers hopes that this will not remain. “There’s more to it than that. I think there are ways that dance, and ballet in particular, glorifies women. George Balanchine always used to say ‘Ballet is Women.’”
Rodgers found herself drifting from the dance world and looking back on it, she believes that the pain, and questioning of the lifestyle are what drove her to quitting. “I waited tables in New York, mostly because my dad got annoyed I was watching T.V. at home,” she said with a smirk, “I met all these people who were writing and acting, and they’d all been to college. I thought they were the most interesting people I had ever met,” she said. Although Rodgers returned to ballet for a year, she was not happy, and could not fit herself back into “narrowness of that lifestyle”—it was no longer worth the body pains and diets. This propelled her to apply to college at 24-years old.
Rodgers’ interest in the arts flourished at Columbia University. “I think there is something detail-oriented about dancers that has helped influence the way that I have worked with texts and films. Especially with ballet—your hand, or all the little details you have to be aware of all the time,” Rodgers said, “I spent so much time thinking about audiences and thinking about their point of view.”
After succeeding at Columbia, Rodgers received her masters in film from the University of Michigan. “I think this is something that came out of my dance background—I’m very influenced by teachers. Like in dance, there are people that really invest in you. And I sought that out.” She worked closely with film theorist Gaylyn Studlar and her Hitchcock and Feminism class—because of the great ideas and influences she experienced with the class, she brought it to Kalamazoo College, hoping for students to find use in the topic as well.
Students flocked to her film class: “Sometime during fall quarter, I heard that this class would be offered this spring, and I cleared my schedule to make sure I could take it! I love Hitchcock and I thought it would be fascinating to study his work in general, and especially through a feminist lens,” said Laura Fox, a senior English major.
Rodgers maintains a laid-back ambiance throughout her classes. During my visit, she split the class into smaller groups so they could discuss readings and the film in more detail. Rodgers inserted herself into a group, acting as a student rather than a facilitator. The only thing that separated her was her brightly-colored floral capris that she is known for.
“Amy is so energetic that she never struggles to hold the class's focus. And while she is incredibly intelligent, she never acts as if her insights are superior to a student's. She's down-to-earth and approachable, and she truly makes learning an exciting experience,” said Fox. During the lecture, she said “Walking around is my thing,” as her vibrant pants flowed with each step.
Rodgers combines her passion of teaching and of feminism and film to encourage the class in finding the importance of this discourse and why it needs to be talked about for them. “I want them to engage with those ideas of feminism instead of just accept them,” she said.
As Rodgers has created a class to emphasize Hitchcock’s films through a feminist lens, she has also taken a step back to think about feminism as a whole throughout her lifetime. She believes that if she were dancing now, her ideas on feminism would have created a rift in her life. “You can’t think of things as oh, this is anti-feminist, this is feminist. You have to really buy into it and believe in it. Once I started questioning this belief is when I left the world [of dance]. I don’t know if those things [ballet and feminism] can be reconciled” she said. “Twenty years ago, a conversation about anti-feminism and dance wouldn’t have happened. I think it’s an important place for these conversations to happen.”
Rodgers has developed feminism not only in the realm of film, but also of theater, dance, and the arts in general. Times are turning, and Rodgers embraces it into both her past and her present life, whether focusing on film or pirouettes. She still dreams of ballet and completing more pirouettes. Rodgers said, “I hope for all to have a more creative understanding of what feminism is, what it tries to do, and where it falls short of doing that.”
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