laineontheweb55

[laineontheweb55]

Strikeout Choice - Questioning Why Gates Did It?

Through this story and in class discussion we have seen and talked about manuscript strikeouts and how where those are seen can provide a deeper meaning or spark our curiosity. For me, I saw this in Chapter 18: "Strange Company." I am going based on the online eBook version, so if all is correct you will find this on page 108.

I focused on the paragraph in which Craft is questioning the absence of Jacob in the night. At the end Craft originally says,

"I, who had learned to sleep as calmly and composedly on a bed of leaves as in a palace chamber, was thus alarmed and terrified by the immediate presence of the dead I know not what" (108).

However, Gates' version reads,

"I, who had learned to sleep as calmly and composedly on a bed of leaves as in a palace chamber, was thus alarmed and terrified by the immediate presence of the dead I know not what" (108).

Seeing this strikeout had created curiosity for me towards Gates because I felt he strikes this out for a few reasons. The first could possibly be for his ongoing way of making sure he is separating himself from Craft. If he was to include "the immediate presence of the dead" it seems like he could be taking on her personal experience and I think he wanted to showcase that he was not trying to. So, with the substitute of "I know not what" Gates is saying he sees Craft as being scared from the unknown or what she cannot be certain of.

Another possible explanation though could also be because this seems more vulnerable for Craft. I noticed in some of the other strikeouts that Gates strikes out double words. So, to me, he might have crossed out this part of Craft's writing because he wants to provide some type of privacy or wall between the narrative he is producing and her very own raw one. This would also make sense to me, given we have talked about privacy and separation from the way the cover and back of the book present.

The final thought I had and maybe this is far-fetched on why he strikes this out, was because he didn't want to view Craft as thinking of death because of the connection he formed from her. Although he did not meet Craft, reading her work you still can form a connection of who she was and her experience. So, he possibly could have made this strikeout because he didn't want to see her being dead. Although she was writing about her life as an enslaved woman and this was a very possible outcome for her, Gates doesn't want to note that, rather focus on her life. I would almost even compare it to how people will try to write obituaries; how they will talk about their life and the remembrance of what they did and usually not include how they died. They will bring up those who had a connection with them, like leaving in Jacob's name here, but won't go full out and over dim their life on how it just ended.

Although these are some of my reasonings, it's likely not the only answer. Though I do believe that his strikeouts come from a place of protection and respect for Craft and her work; that Gates doesn't want to diminish it.

[laineontheweb55]

Pinterest...What Does it Leave Out?

What can’t the tool help you to see?:

Although Pinterest can be a useful tool after our exercise in class I found it hard to find the opposite or opposing side, even small aspects that might differ. Although this tool has a great way of showcasing what you want to find and giving you similar and close choices through images and video, it lacks the ability to be more diverse on its own.

What are its limitations?:

Pinterest has limitations to finding different views or opposing as said before. For example, let's say I look up "Red Hair Color Ideas," (which I shared a picture of below). In the image we see Pinterest has brought up many examples of red hair. There are different shades, different lengths, styled from straight to wavy, but in the end these all go back to a sort of red hair or variation of it. If Pinterest didn't have a limitation on finding other colors that the user might like we might see blue hair come up (the opposite primary from red). We saw some variations of red with orange or brunette, but there wasn't anywhere where we saw opposites or a section of "you might also want to try this." I didn't even see a purple hair color, which I feel like that might have been more common than if blue was to appear and usually has red hues to it. So, there is a limitation on what kind of hair color we can look into, but this isn't just hair color; this is any search. We might think that Pinterest is very explorative or ever expanding, which it can be. However, it is up to the user to add in the different searches and overtime this will start to navigate them to a more diverse algorithm, the tool itself does not add in those parts. Its only job is to find similar things to your search agenda.

Does it convey a bias with regard to analysis?:

Given that its job is to find similarities in pins and share those your way, it does convey a bias. The database will look at your search and then only load up or bring up pins with the association to the words given. The tool that is Pinterest is bias, because it is not playing debate, rather giving a speech at a solo show. The tool is there with an agenda catered to what goes in the search only and not what others outside that have to respond with. The tool is like a runner in a race, once the sound goes off to run, Pinterest quickly assembles multiple ideas through what is searched. The pins will provide you with similarity because they are only motivated on what was given to them and not what the other runners (other ideas in this case) are doing.

Does it, intentionally or not, have an ideology?:

It does intentionally have an ideology to cater towards the user. Specifically, though I think from other social media platforms, Pinterest is more exclusive in how it searches. If I was to look up something through Facebook or Instagram, I might get similar things through my feed after, but also different ones will be shown too, and they are broad. If you search an event like a musical, Facebook might recommend you a comedy because although they are different shows, they are being played at the same venue. Recipes are another thing; you might share something about baking muffins and Facebook will then start sharing you cooking videos regarding how to cook steak or season food - leading to how these algorithms have more broad categories and aren't as detailed as a platform like Pinterest is. However, Pinterest's ideology is just to stay in the specific box for their user and not to stroll off.

What tools would you need in order to overcome or situate this bias?:

I think in order to overcome or situate bias, you would have to use more than one tool, or you would have to search more and more opposing searches. If you use more than one tool, you can expand your search engines and way you understand things from genres to critical thinking. Other tools too have different meanings behind them, so if you went beyond just Pinterest it could be the first step in looking for a less specific or complete opposite idea. Though if you want to be like Pinterest and stay in the box, you can change it with a longer process. I said you could search different and opposing things and allow them to eventually start a change to your feed, but that doesn't just happen. Although Pinterest can be fast, you would need to enter in a variety of different searches for a long period of time, not just a few hours or a few days. Both ways take different amounts of time and are almost like research and experimentation. Though it really comes down to the user in order to overcome it, because you hold the important position of what to cater to and how the algorithm comes to be. So in the end, when it comes to our course if we want to find that difference it is up to us to control how far we can go. We can’t rely just on our tools, but our own thoughts and brainstorming, even talking with peers for different perspectives, but we have to make that step. The exercise we did in class is a way we can brainstorm or breakdown our own thoughts, but it isn’t the only way.

[laineontheweb55]

William Blake - "The Fly"...The Romance of Acquired Freedom

Using my tool (Pinterst), I put in the first sentences of each part to William Blake's, "The Fly,":

"Little Fly"

"Am not I A fly like thee?"

"For I dance and drink & sing"

"If thought is life And strength and breath"

"Then am I A happy fly"

Before I selected images or even did my search through Pinterest, the poem captured my attention as it had signified a sense of freedom or embracing and accepting the result of a situation. Blake has the art illustration of a mother and children. It seems that the mother is trying to dance with the younger child while the other is playing with a racket and ball. I think the illustration in itself first can sense romanticizing within the chaos or letting go. As much of society romanticizes motherhood, even though it comes with many struggles daily. Though we can see here that in the chaos that is raising children, she is enjoying to some sense a one on one with one of her children, because the other is preoccupied.

There is also a sense of romanticizing through the color and posing. We discussed this on Thursday's course and how we might romanticize something based on the colors or the poses of the individuals in the image. If we look at the image closer the background is using warm tones some orange and yellow, even some light blue. With the painting it seems to show the sun or some sort of late afternoon, not a sunset but one to come soon. Many find this sky in a real life setting to produce an "aesthetically pleasing" feel; a calm feeling if you will.

As for the poses, the mother is hunched over, but not too far to where it could be seen as uncomfortable, but rather guiding their child into learning. This is something I feel is important to note too as I said my first vibe from Blake's poem was the sense of freedom, which you can't obtain a feeling of freedom until you observe and are open. The child could be seen as "being open" to learning and observing the mother rather than just being oblivious or not aware before. As for the child behind her, I saw it as the child has opened up and accepted change...independence. Although it might just be a racket and ball, they are doing it on their own and without the help of their mother, a taste of freedom without parental help. This draws back also to another sense of romanticizing, but in the view of watching your own child grow. Today we might see this in capturing their first steps or first sports game on tape, a picture of their first school concert, but the idea of watching your own offspring grow and becoming their own is something many don't realize they romanticize.

The gist I'm getting at with all these aspects I've noticed or drawn to goes back to the way we romanticize life events and situations...they draw back to freedom and the love we have for it. We want that freedom, we want to be loved, we want to be able to be seen as independent while also showing what we've done with our life. The same way that some people use their own reading to showcase that feeling. Blake is an example of showing the romanization of the emotions and reactions we have through change (the good, the bad, all of it).

So how does this get us to Pinterest?

After searching the phrases from “The Fly,” my tool was able to showcase Blake’s poem through quotes, art, vintage images, insects, and birds. The quotes highlighted the art of freedom often accepting and moving on, giving oneself advice to move on and you will receive that freedom and happiness. The art had warm tones of yellow and orange, and also included blue; similar to the background and art of his poem. The vintage images captured dancing and singing, or playing noticeable features we also see in the art of “The Fly.” The insects are butterflies not just flies here, took this as a sign of romanticism in change and acceptance. Once again, we can see freedom in said change as a caterpillar will form into a butterfly. Not only that, but birds were another noticeable thing. From flying somewhere out or guiding someone to swing, birds were very noticeable here. This could draw back to how we often romanticize birds or flying objects that go up with change and freedom. A bird flying in the air can be seen as not just an animal flying in the sky, but an independent creature who can just go on their own journey.

The structure of how this is set up too also reminds me of a vision board and aspirations, much like I said that Pinterest does in a previous post when creating a user’s algorithm. Or even a wall of posters and how one might tape these upon a wall or a surface to look at and reflect. Or they might put it up to be aesthetically pleasing in their hopes and wants or desires.

I feel like with this tool too, one might see Blake’s theme more through these images than actually reading the poem. And that’s because of its form and how society likes to showcase today. I take the example of Rupi Kaur’s book of poems, Milk and Honey. Kaur’s pages have been published and popularized not only because of the feminist matters in the words, but because her poems are more minimalist and easy to form the theme to. Though these pages are often posted up with twinkly lights in the background, a beverage or snack that looks “social-media worthy” or even a sunset in the backdrop. Kaur’s pieces are similar to Blake’s as both cover stories that can relate back to freedom or acceptance of situations, but both also show the way how aesthetic and romanticizing features can take their work to a wider audience. The same way the sky and color scheme might get a reader noticed to Blake’s work is similar to how a sunset or aesthetic environment behind the page of one of Kaur’s poems on Instagram is to scrollers. They romanticize pieces of the environment to attract the reader more or the viewer. In itself can also be an example of how we romanticize texts, sharing a quote or poem is an example of how one might do that. A situation could be challenging but posting a quote to romanticize that situation and the idea of change to result in freedom, very known to happen whether we’re talking on Blake’s pieces or others’.

Before I leave this post I also want to highlight something I found beyond my tool, but an important thing to also remember as we look into our findings this semester and that is how our environment is also influenced by this. Of course after these searches my algorithm is going to adapt on Pinterest, but beyond that takes you in to think a little differently or find similarities and connections around you too. For me I was listening to music while writing. While doing so, a song by Florence and the Machine had went in the shuffle. The song was “Shake It Out.” If you’ve never listened to the song, the story is actually about Florence herself getting over a hangover. However, it’s deeper theme is becoming aware of habits and wanting to change, essentially accepting what has happened and ready to move on…starting over and acquiring a newfound freedom. Such as Blake is trying to say in his poem, “The Fly.” So maybe it was a coincidence that the song had came on while I was making this post, but I think it’s also interesting how much it related to Blake’s theme and what it relates to in terms of freedom. I think also the fact it came in a musical form, can even be romanticized, the whole song is very aesthetically beautiful and that’s why it’s also easier to understand the story better that Florence is trying to say. So look for those connections too.

[laineontheweb55]

(Extra Post - Up for Discussion) The Use of Nature & The Different Meanings/Association on Words

Since I wasn't in class on Tuesday, I figured I would make a post about one of our readings (Don't worry no discussion is needed, but if any peers want to, they are welcome to!). This will focus on Williams' "Nature."

When reading the part in which they define "Nature," Williams compares the word to, "Culture" and believes that both are important. The importance stems due to both words being defined as "a specific reference, but later became independent nouns," (Williams 219). The ability for nature to take on different forms makes sense and is also noted on the same page. Where Williams gives three meanings:

Essential Quality & Character of Something

Inherited Force that Directs Human Beings, The World, or Both

The Material World/The World in Which We Live in

Although this is the first page, the focus of "Nature" is something we need to remember for this course. This is because digesting something down to its core is a major play into what we are learning. The core being going into different paths, hidden loops, even back roads if you will to what is being put out. It is taking you out of your comfort zone of assuming what you know from just a quick glimpse and instead diving deeper outside your bubble. Before reading this I naturally associated "nature" with the third meaning because when I hear the word today, I tend to notice it in conversations regarding society. Though the more I sat there and thought about it, the more I was able to digest encounters or examples I saw with the other two meanings.

Given that this had sent me to sit and think more about words and where they can take us, I want to leave this up to anyone that wants to discuss other words they've found to have more meanings and importance the longer they ponder them. For me I thought of words "cover" and "window."

Cover:

Something you use to be hidden, shield, or become warm

Something that is being used to promote or showcase (An album cover or book cover)

Not an exact copy, but an influence (Someone "covering" a song of another artist)

Something to get you in somewhere (A money term, such as something you would give a bouncer or pay before you go to an event - a fee of some sort).

Window:

A clear/tinted piece of glass maybe square or even odd shaped, giving you a way to see the other side.

A timeframe of some sort (you have a certain amount of time to do something or to have something available).

A number of chances (hearing "a window of opportunities" in life such as when getting ready to figure out what you would like to do when you grow up).

These are just two examples that I noticed and their deeper meanings. I know last Thursday we also discussed the word "Tennessee," so it seems that this discussion can be bigger than we may think and that all we have to do is just allow ourselves to look into our words more instead of just reading past them. (Again no one has to, but I think it would be interesting to hear other words people find multiple meanings to or even talking about the different meanings of the word "Nature" and what meaning you associate with the most or have in the past).

[laineontheweb55]

The Tool of Pinterest - What it is Capable Of

(Apologies for being a few hours late, I kept thinking today was the 18th instead of yesterday)

What is Pinterest?:

I could give you the factual history and information of Pinterest, such as the year or who created it, but really when one scrolls to the world of this tool, they are not paying attention to that. Rather they are paying attention to what the website does in terms of catering to the user. Pinterest is built upon the user and their likes or interests. When you first make an account, it might show random pins that might be popular among the whole web, however once you start searching and pinning, your Pinterst feed will become more curated to what you as the user is more interested or into. It mimics an everchanging and expanding vision-board if you will. Where instead of just using cutouts from magazines or drawing out your wants and aspirations, you can just link them into groups and see them digitally.

What Is the Main Usage?:

Given Pinterest could be seen as an everchanging and expanding vision-boarding platform, it doesn't necessarily have a limited use. Some may use it to find a recipe while others might plan out their vacation. Pinterest also is able to use links, which has made it easier to even shop online from clothes to household needs and decor. It in some ways similar to social media platforms such as Instagram because you can shop, put photos or videos into groups or folders, and even post your own content. Both also share the similarity in which they cater to the user, by having an algorithm.

Why This Platform Works in Terms of This Course?:

In terms of using this digital tool for aiding our literary criticism, I think it will be beneficial. This is because the platform gives us a way to sprout the visuals we are writing about or talking about in the course. For example, we could create a Pinterest Board that is focused on a character, the environment, or even a specific paragraph or excerpt from what we are reading through the pins. This is also a greater way to showcase what we are trying to portray over just writing it and can help others understand our perspective too as well. As when we digest information or take in something, we can perceive it differently, so seeing it in different forms can help connect ideas more. Think about it in terms of your senses. How when we hear something compared to see something. We might not have the use of smell, taste, or touch on the digital screen, but it does give us a different perspective and opportunity than just what we can type or write up.

Link to the Tool: Pinterest

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Something I notice is this blue mark upon the bulletin board in my townhouse. I’ve been here for a week, but didn’t notice this until this morning. Thought it was interesting. Could be from a marker or paint, the mystery of how it happened can spark curiosity.