Literature?

           Alan Moore’s graphic novel, “Light of Thy Countenance,” is definitely considered a work of literature. I believe that literature is gathering words to tell a story or form an argument to express one main idea. In this case, Moore uses a different form of literature, which we are not used to. Unlike the common form of literature where we read and are guided to visualize a picture in our head and pair it to what we are reading, Moore depicts exactly what he wants us to see. This is very different than what we are used to however, because by using this method we are all picturing the same thing and there are no open interpretations. Some people like the fact that they are in control of how a character looks or how a setting is placed, but by using a graphic technique, we automatically know Moore has a strong message that he wants to convey and show in his exact way.

            Moore uses the graphic novel technique in order to show his message of the growing reliance and power of the television. Depicted next to words, he uses pictures to show the influence television has over humankind. Moore portrays television as a Godly figure, being all-powerful and all knowing. As we go through the story, we see how television is taking over relationships and distorting the way humans interact with each other. This growing impact and reliance on technology is similar to what we have read in William Gibson’s “Pattern Recognition.” Both stories are alike in that they show the negative affects on the dependency of technology and present the message that with growing technology comes risks and fallbacks.

            By comparing Moore’s graphic novel to a more common form of literature, we can conclude that they both share the same message and are both therefore a form of literature. 

Differences between the East and West

In his play, M. Butterfly, David Henry Hwang stresses the differences between the East and the West. One major difference that is emphasized is the gender roles of women.

Women in the East were portrayed as being modest and simple. For example, when Gallimard first starts to kiss Song, she resists and tells him to go gently, justifying her actions by saying, “it all frightens me. I’m a modest Chinese girl”(40). Throughout the play Gallimard puts Song on a pedestal, being the perfect woman for him and her modesty only makes him want her more. This theme of modesty, being only one of the differences between Eastern and Western women, is repeated several other times in the play. After 20 years of being together, modesty can no longer be a valid reason for Song’s prudery, and you have to conclude that modesty must be a trait strongly associated with Eastern women for Gallimard to not question various times throughout their relationship.

Western women, especially in comparison to Eastern women, are shown as outspoken, independent and outwardly confident.  For instance, after Song invites Gallimard into her home, she is disgusted with the way his Western ways are corrupting her and says, “I try to be modern, to speak like a man, to hold a Western woman’s strong face up to my own… The forwardness of my actions makes my skin burn”(30-31). This reaffirms the distinction between East and West by showing the affect the Western way has on Song. She cannot handle being put into such a situation and is disgusted with her actions. After feeling the need to step out of character for Gallimard, Song is ashamed and “she feels inferior to them [Western people]”(31). Because she has been so easily influenced by the West, allowing Gallimard to change her and cause shame to herself, Song feels that she has become a subordinate to those of the west.

Internet and the Prospects of Online Social Networks

            In William Gibson’s novel, Pattern Recognition, one of the major themes is the increasing impact of the Internet and the prospects of online social networks on a person’s life. The growing dependency of the Internet is shown through the main character, Cayce’s life.

From the very beginning of the novel, we learn that Cayce posts regularly on a blog called F:F:F which “has become one of the most consistent places in her life…”(4). This emphasizes her reliance on the Internet for a stable and enjoyable life. She then completes her statement comparing the blog site to “a familiar café that exists somehow outside of geography and time zones”(4). A café is a common place that people meet frequently or go to on a routine basis, which is comparable to the Internet in which people in completely different places around the world can meet and chat. The Internet is a whole new environment that opens up the possibilities for people to meet that would never get the opportunity to before because of distance.

The growing dependency on the Internet comes with risks as well. As Cayce starts to put her opinions and information up on F:F:F, she comes to have a close relationship with another blogger, Parkaboy. It comes to a point where she trusts him as if she has known him in a real relationship, rather than purely through the Internet, and she even goes to Tokyo purely on the information of Parkaboy. “She’s spoken with Parkway twice before, and both times it’s been odd, in the way that initial telephone conversations with people you’ve gotten to know well on the Net, yet have never met, are odd”(139). Although Cayce places all her trust in Parkaboy, she hardly even knows him on a personal basis, so much that she has only heard his voice a couple times. Through the Internet, people begin to trust people that they don’t know in the real world. While it can be good that you can meet new people, it could also be bad because you don’t really know whom you are talking to.

In the book, Pattern Recognition, William Gibson prophesizes about a future where the Internet consumes a person’s life. Through Cayce’s life we see the positive and negative outcomes of the Internet.

Pattern Recognition Brainstorm

Marketing

            From the beginning of the novel, we learn about Cayce’s fear of market symbols and logos. Cayce is prone to commercial logos, and only wears plain things, not caring about the name brand. This stood out to me because her job as a “coolhunter” forces her to see the popularity trends in these big name corporations and analyze them for future market purposes. So why would Cayce want to do a job that puts herself in the face of her deepest phobia? Or maybe this is why Cayce is so good at her job—she is able to see past the name brands that people are so attracted to and see something for what it’s truly worth. Although ashamed, I can personally say that I have bought products purely because of the name brand. Many people care about their appearance to others, and having popular apparel, or whatever it may be, seems like the “cool” thing to have. So maybe Gibson is trying to convey through Cayce that people are caring too much about name brands.

Internet and the Prospects of Online Social Networks

            Gibson puts an emphasis on the growing dependence on Internet through Cayce’s passion for her blog. We learn that “The forum has become one of the most consistent places in her life”(4) which shows how much she is reliant on it for stability. At the time this book was written, there was no facebook, which to me is exactly the behavior that this book targets. Gibson saw into the future of a day where people spend hours communicating and “social networking” through the Internet, interacting with others across the country and even the world, which is what facebook allows. I know people that can’t spend a day without going on facebook, and even when you’re with them they’ll go on facebook through their cell phones. To me, Gibson is showing his prediction or fear of the growing technology and popularity of the Internet. Part of Cayce’s life is her blog on F:F:F and many people today would say facebook takes up a good portion of their lives too. But what happened to personal contact? Whether it be face-to-face or telephone conversations, is this new age in technology a positive or is it negatively affecting the way we interact with people everyday?

"A Rose for Emily" from Tobe's perspective

            As “A Rose for Emily” is originally written, we perceive Emily and Tobe as outsiders and the abnormal people in the town. We know little about them, and only what others view them as. If William Faulkner's short story, were written through Tobe, in a first person singular point of view, the whole tone of the story would change.

One major change that would occur is the way Emily is viewed by the reader. Because Tobe is the only person that knows Emily personally, and sees her on a day-to-day basis, he would give us insight to the way she thinks and the type of person she really is. Right now we see her as a deranged person who murdered someone and never goes out, but maybe if we saw it through Tobe’s eyes we would see all the pain and heartache she went through to get her to that point. We may also feel more sympathetic towards her because we would know everything she went through that the townspeople never saw.

There would also be a discrete change in the setting of the story. Although he is only mentioned briefly throughout the story, Tobe is seen as “the Negro man,” and looked down upon because of his race and status as a servant. People underestimate him, because of this status, and never treated him properly. If we were to see the story through Tobe’s perspective we would get a clear idea about the racial conditions during this time and the way he felt towards the white townspeople. Instead of seeing the condescending way they felt about him, we would probably see the disgusted way he felt about them.

Finally, we would be able to see in the mind of Tobe. We would see his feelings for Emily, which were hidden before. Right now we are clueless as to their relationship, not knowing whether it was a romantic relationship or a hateful one. Knowing this would clarify why he stood by Emily for so many years and possibly why she decided to kill Homer. We could also see how Tobe felt about Homer and how he felt about what Emily did to him. From Tobe’s perspective, we could see how Emily progressed to be the way she was and how his life got pulled into catering to her needs.

This story has so many unanswered questions and seeing it through different points of view would help to answer many of those questions. 

All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace

One of the issues that arises when you read something is people can have differing interpretations of what an author is trying to convey. This is especially true in Richard Brautigan’s poem, "All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace".

The author has an anti-technological tone where in the first stanza, Brautigan immediately pleas for the need for man and machine to co-exist together “(and the sooner the better!)”(1-2). His use of the term "cybernetic meadow"(3) gives an image of nature and machines living as one. Brautigan completes the first stanza longing for a return to the days of "pure water touching clear sky"(7-8). In the second stanza Brautigan goes on to plead, "(right now, please!)”(10) for the urgent harmony of nature and electronics. Brautigan uses the image of "deer strolling peacefully past computers as if they were flowers with spinning blossoms"(11-14) to convey the irony of being far from peaceful. In the end, Brautigan now demands, “(it has be!)”(16) that society discontinue it's dependence on machines "free of our labors"(18) and return back to a harmonious time where man and nature can co-exist "watched over by machines of loving grace"(22-23).

The way the poem is written it can also can be open to interpretation as having a pro technological stance. In the first stanza, Brautigan writes about "programming harmony like pure water touching clear sky"(6-8). This conveys the image of man and machine being able to make things perfect. In the second stanza, Brautigan sees the possibility for "(right now please)”(10) of machines and nature doing unbelievable things "computers as if they were flowers with spinning blossoms"(14-16). In the end, Brautigan demands "(it has to be!)”(16) that people accept technology and not be afraid of it "all watched over by machines of loving grace"(22-23).

My interpretation of Brautigan's poem is of an anti-technology stance. Brautigan begins every stanza with urgent pleas to look at the symbiosis of machines and nature. Brautigan's use of opposing images "cybernetic forest"(11) and "cybernetic meadow"(3), gives the feeling of two completely opposing ideas and how could they work? The tone of the poem implies sarcastically that if we as a society continue to let machines do our work "we are free of our labors"(20) that we will soon be taken over by machines "watched over by machines of loving grace"(22-23).

Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich

•    Book of myths
•    Loaded the camera
•    Edge of the knife-blade
•    The grave and awkward mask
•    The drowned face
•    Body-armor of black rubber
•    There is no one

In Adrienne Rich’s poem “Diving into the Wreck”, imagery is used to illustrate the transitions that occur throughout one’s lifetime. As college students we can relate to this poem because it talks about a major shift from childhood to adulthood, stepping outside of our comfort zones, and moving into new phases of life on our own. The images that best embody this transition are the book of myths and the mask.

The first strophe is talking about the preparation and packing one must take before the journey into adult hood. We are first introduced into the poem with the line “first having read the book of myths”(1.1). The book of myths is stated in the beginning because it emphasizes the importance of living life and represents the life that we have lived in our childhood; which is the life that we will bring along with us through our next journey. “The grave and awkward mask”(1.7) is put on as a form of protection. A mask is used to change an appearance of some sort and to hide our insecurities while giving off a front of confidence. The mask is an image that represents deception, and when we start college, we often times deceive or play a role of someone we are not, in order to please and befriend others. The mask and the book of myths are both essential in our journey to adulthood.

In the seventh strophe, a change occurs, much like the change that occurs in our lives. For example, Rich states “the wreck and not the story of the wreck/ the thing itself and not the myth”(7.2-3). The story of the wreck represents the hardships and tough times that came with this long journey to adulthood, which is similar to the stage many college students are experiencing now. Because this is the first time most of us are living on our own, away from our parents, we know how tough and emotionally straining it can be. When Rich states that it is no longer about the story of the wreck, she shows a new side to her journey. She also states that it is no longer about the myth because she has moved past the hard times and is now feeling comfortable leaving behind her old life and moving forward with her new one. In the same strophe, Rich states “the drowned face always staring”(7.4). This is a change from the beginning of the poem where Rich is wearing the mask. She has finally become comfortable enough to reveal her true face and show her own identity.

Altogether, Rich’s poem incorporates strong imagery using a mask and book of myths, in order to inform us about the journey into adulthood.