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meforworld-blog1 · 8 years ago

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The Bell Jar

By Sylvia Plath

I expected a lot more self-harm in this novel. For a book that has been consistently called “horrendously depressing” it was surprisingly humorous to begin with. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it still made me feel numb, raw and seriously evaluate my life choices. But it built up the horrifying numbness throughout- you knew something was wrong, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. So when the central character (Esther) finally hits rock bottom after swallowing 50 of her mum’s pills and hiding in an empty fireplace to die, you feel particularly awful because you have this bystander feeling: you knew something was wrong, yet you did nothing because you weren’t sure.

This build-up creates so much more pain than a simple suicide attempt: the overwhelming numbness Esther feels constantly begins to engulf her, and we see how tiny, casual events can become huge and terrifying “you feel like hell but you should be fine” and she becomes afraid of the expectations surrounding her future ‘ I started adding up all the things I couldn’t do”. I think this book specifically affected me because I am so close in age to Esther- she is just 19, a mere three years older than me. I could identify with the way in which she is constantly be told that she “has such talent” and “should really do something with it” but secretly feels overwhelmed and confused. Yes, we want to do something good with our lives, but we also want to experience simple things “ I wanted to lose my virginity, go to Europe- I wanted change and excitement and to shoot off in all directions” and figure out our morals, make mistakes. For example, Esther has a desperate desire to lose her virginity “ my virginity weighed on me like a millstone around my neck”. She expects a “miraculous change” but all she feels is “ sharp, startlingly bad pain”.

Another important aspect of the novel was the treatment of mental illness and the stigma around it: “she saw that something was wrong with me, so she moved to the other side of the bus”. Because the novel is based on the author’s own experiences with mental illness, the depiction is very realistic and empathetic. She wants everyone to know what it was like- to connect people to the reality of depression: “I saw the years of my life spaced along a road in the form of telephone poles, threaded together by wires. I counted one, two, three…nineteen telephone poles, and then the wires dangled into space, and try as I would, I couldn’t see a single pole beyond the nineteenth”. She showed very concisely and accurately how depression makes it feel as if you cannot go-on- that there is nothing out there.

Today, I guess it’s these particular qualities which make it such a classic. Even though we have changed massively from the time in which this story was published, the theme of growing up and understanding one’s emotions will forever be relevant to all. Nobody wants to be enveloped in the suffocating “bell jar” that is depression, but with so much pressure and emotion it is far to easy for it to sneak up on us- a slow suffocating numbness that becomes far worse.

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meforworld-blog1 · 8 years ago

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Laura Letinsky

Series- (Ill form and Void Full)

Untitled 12

2011

Methods:

Colour

A very plain colour scheme is used in this work, with the background (and largest part) of the picture varying shades of white with grey shadow, creating the main sense of space/depth. To contrast, the fruit are bright orange and thus become the centre of focus.

Composition

The general composition focus is slanted slightly towards the left, because of the “table” placement and its role in pulling primary focus. This is also because of the large blank space with the sudden definition of the objects/table. We also look down the picture due to the angles of the objects (the pips falling down the table). This confuses us and makes us question the space- not everything is as it seems, creating a feeling of unease.

D.O.F (Depth of Field)/space

This is also largely conveyed through placement and contrast, with the table creating shadow and the primary depth. Shadows from the table and the objects on it are largely realistic, showing that the artist wishes to showcase a mostly “real” perspective/world. However, the composition suggests that standard space ideas are not always obeyed, and thus suggests the idea of a setup and manipulation by the artist. This also contrasts with the rest of the image’s realistic space, confusing us and creating tension.

Tone

The tone also plays a part in the overall ideas, with a larger lighter white section directly above the table, while the rest of the background is predominantly darker, drawing focus to the table and the light above. This also allows for the creation of shadow around the objects on the table, influencing the space. The tone also influences the space through the darker tone of the “top” of the table and the lighter “side”- if they were the same tone, we would not dimension and would more easily see the “table” as a photographic creation, ruining the sense of a slightly off-kilter reality.

Ideas + Context

In creating this work (and series) Laura has said she wanted to explore the ideas of the artificiality of photography, its potential as a self-reflective space, and how the medium can represent space and time. The title of “Ill form and void full” showcases how the photo manipulates space, and how what seems natural is manufactured to achieve an artist’s vision. In her early work, Laura photographed still life traditionally. This 2011 series is the first time she has moved outside of the traditional aspects of the genre, so it is an introductory exploration of these new ideas. Still holding on to the subjects from traditional still life (fruit, household objects) allows Laura to more easily show how she subverts what is natural and pleasing and creates unease through the conventions shown above. She also continues to explore the aftermath of a meal through spilled, squashed and wonky objects (the pips spilling down the table) reflecting mortality and the imperfection of life- ironically, all the pictures are posed carefully in a studio space and placed to perfection. The cut-outs/paper objects also allude to the manipulation behind the scenes and the juxtaposition of real and fake/imperfect and perfect that she is expressing. Laura mentions that she is intrigued by the “tension between small and large social structures” and how photography “constrains our environment” and through her work and careful expression she shows us that our journey for perfection is flawed, and what we see is not always true.

Bibliography

http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/ill-form-and-void-full

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meforworld-blog1 · 8 years ago

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“On The Road”

Movies chosen:

Thelma and Louise

Snakeskin

Thelma and Louise:

Representation (costume & performance)

The feature of representation makes a significant contribution to the presentation of narrative- changing to reflect the state of the characters and the story, ultimately helping us to understand how Thelma and Louise’s road trip impacts them as woman- and how they grow further from traditional society and the mainstream. At the start of the film, as they set off, they are very feminine and perfect looking, with immaculate make-up and coiffed hairdos. Thelma wears a flirty white dress, showing her virginal innocence. Overall, these controlled, stereotypically feminine looks help to represent how Thelma and Louise are originally conforming to typical stereotypes of the time and how they are untouched and hopeful, maintaining appearances for society. The clothes

(indeed their overall look) change to reflect the changes in Thelma and Louise’s characters throughout the movie narrative, helping to showcase the movie’s turning-points and character arcs. As the film continues, the two protagonists become more and more dishevelled, losing the femininity and cleanliness of the beginning and instead wearing more practical, traditionally masculine clothes. The first instance of change is when Thelma is raped outside the bar. The tearing and bloodying of her white dress and perfect hair/face represents the literal breaking down of her character, and the beginning of the character’s pull against society. The white dress is Thelma’s innocence and hope in society, and the ruining of the dress represents the way society and her life has become ruined. We can see from this point onwards the girls becoming more and more masculine in their form of dress, wearing jeans and t-shirts, and discarding jewellery (in another pivotal scene, Louise exchanges hers for a much more practical hat, again representing the way they now value their wellbeing over societal normalities). They also no longer bother with lipstick (a “feminine” ideal) and pull their hair up in easy ponytails, yet another representation which portrays the journey narrative and shows the way in which as the girls have more control over their lives they gain a more “male” view/role (masculine dress).

Setting (place)

The setting of the film helps to define the narrative through its expression of the characters’ views and the freedom/oppression they feel at separate times in the narrative. The wide, open country with blue skies as they are travelling represents the freedom they have both physically and metaphorically, away from punishment and the patriarchy. Meanwhile, during upsetting scenes in which the leads are mistreated or upset they are inside or in a town/city establishment. The weather is also dark, occasionally raining to show how everything is “dark” and sad. City/town establishments can represent the society -which they escape from- the mainstream, and the restrictions they feel. So, when they are on the road, this helps us to understand how they are escaping the mainstream and conventions such as the law, showing how the narrative develops. We also always see the “bad guys” (the police, Thelma’s husband) in the city during the phone calls latter in the film, further reinforcing the narrative idea that the city is evil/restrictive.

Snakeskin:

Symbols/motifs/themes (recurring images, ideas, messages)

Numerous symbols/motifs and the like are used through the film to further the narrative-most poignantly the snake, snakeskin and LSD apple relating to this as the physical representation of the apple from the garden of Eden. * Alice (Eve) is given the “apple” by the “snake” (Seth), which gives her knowledge. The naming of the main female Alice also adds to the narrative, her name the same as “Alice” in “Alice in wonderland” showing how the character journeys through hers own “wonderland”- (a new land full of adventures, which is at times, confusing and frightening, just like the novel version. The introduction of the hitchhiker, Seth, to the narrative, sets off most of the recurring symbols/motifs, intensifying/changing in order to develop the story. Through his snake tattoo and snakeskin boots, we are shown the idea of Seth embodying the snake. As the film continues and the group are lead into risky situations with the climax of Seth shooting Johnny, betraying the group and being a “snake” in the term most people use it- slimy and evil. Seth also says at the beginning of the film “you have to earn the right to wear snakeskin”. At the end, were Alice wears a snakeskin coat, we understand this too mean that she has changed into the badass road movie character she wanted to be in the beginning, showing the road trip narrative of a life-changing journey of discovery.

Setting

The setting helps to develop the narrative through its portrayal of the tension and overall tone during different times in the film. For example, during the early scenes, there are multiple routes and the weather is fine, no clouds in sight. This shows how Johnny and Alice are in their journey, trusting, happy with multiple choices ahead. Later in the film, as the characters become caught up in dangerous situations, the road becomes one- (there is now only one option) and it becomes dark and hard to see, representing how they now feel about the journey and Seth- they have been exposed to his darkness and can no longer see what is about to happen. The story mainly being set in the New Zealand wilderness also creates a sense of isolation and independence in the narrative- they are far from any help and must make decisions on their own. If we look at the roads, the shape of them also suggests the idea of the decision-making throughout- when the road is straight, clear decisions, easy sailing. A twisted road= twisted morals and decisions. The road becomes more twisted as the film continues, showing how the characters themselves become twisted as a result of the narrative.We can see how these features develop the narrative, showing how Alice becomes caught up with Seth and adopts many of his characteristics, losing the innocence she had in the start as her road trip continues. The whole film’s changes represent this journey and as such helps us understand these pivotal changes.

St.Claire Marshall

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