Blog #4: Pg. 341

The speaker of “Girl” is a mother who certainly cares deeply about her daughter. While the advice the mother is throwing out occurs in a list-format, it is obvious her primary goal is to give her daughter the important life-lessons that will help her grow up as a young lady. The mother is very straightforward, loving, and well educated. The prescriptions for being a girl entail being clean, polite, eating like a lady, walking like a lady, knowing how to wash, iron and sew, how to sweep and keep a household clean, how to set a table correctly, being familiar with how to talk to boys appropriately and being an overall educated woman.

The story depicts a portrait of a teenager who is on the road to becoming a “slut”, as the mother states. The image of a perfect, well-mannered mother is what stands beside her. While the mother may very well represent the “perfect” mother and prime example, she ultimately pushes too far and expects more of what is truly reasonable. The detailed descriptions of what a girl should be doing day-in and day-out are entirely proven to fall apart sooner or later. Just as she does everything perfect, someone realizes her actions are absurd and puts an end to the behavior expected of her.

Through the many characteristics and descriptive wording, it is appropriate to conclude the mother and daughter live in a neighborhood that plays out gender roles above what most would consider normal. Most likely, the family lives on a small acre of land, perhaps in the country. These inferences are based on various instructions addressed to the daughter, such as, “Put them on the clothesline to dry” and “when buying cotton to make yourself a nice blouse…” The story is incredibly descriptive, therefore making inferences come to mind rather quickly. The message I find most prevalent is to take advice from those who care, but ultimately make adjustments as to what feels right for you yourself along the road of life.

The link attached thoroughly describes the importance of parental influence on children regarding gender roles. Too often parents do not think about the influence they lay on their kids, therefore making them raise questions that most generally do not get answered in the school environment.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2248/is_n126_v32/ai_19619406/

Blog #3: Pg. 65, Writing 2

Tillie Olsen’s story, “I Stand Here Ironing” and Tracey Baran’s photograph, “Mom Ironing” speak many differences and similarities about relationships family members have and what is important to them. The theme here is focused primarily on the emotional viewpoint of Baran’s childhood. Throughout these two pieces of art, both depict an image of the daughter, Emily just not caring about herself. As seen in the photo and described in the story, school is not a high priority for her. The photo clearly illustrates her as the typical “couch-potato” who seems to think everything is done for her when she wants. Her clothing characterizes someone who doesn’t put in much thought or effort and the way she lounges back in a chair with a red Dixie-cup represents she drinks and most likely watches TV all day. Her finger biting also adds to this conclusion, as she in all likelihood, doesn’t care about her physical appearance.

Both “I Stand Here Ironing” and the photo illustrate how the mother tries to do everything to please Emily, but in return receives nothing. The mother deeply tries to build a bond with her daughter, but after so much effort, it is simply a let down. The difference between the photo and story is that no interaction between the mother and daughter is shown in the picture. Throughout the story, it is clear to the reader that there has been an effort on the mother’s part to try and obtain a mother/daughter relationship. Another observation is Emily’s stiff, thin and foreign-looking appearance. In the story it is made quite clear that she is frail and disappointed in her body shape. However, when it comes to the photo, “Mom Ironing”, Emily does not seem to portray a very sickening image. In contrast, she seems more on the average/heading towards over-weight size.

The most striking image and theme that stands out is the mother looking very tired and worn out. In the photo, she seems to think this “labor-work” is expected of her as a mother. Throughout the story, this is equally evident; “There was so little time at night after the kids were bedded down. I would be ironing, or preparing food for the next day, or writing V-mail to Bill, or tending to the baby. “ This idea of placing all the duties and house chores on the mother, is extremely saddening. In conclusion, the landscape of Baran’s childhood represented in the story and photo are visually and emotionally destructive, giving the audience a feeling of sympathy for the mother and that too, of Emily.

As mentioned in this article, “Daughters have high expectations for mother and often base their self-esteem and sense of self-worth on Mom’s perception of herself. If daughters feel their mother’s lack of confidence, it may weaken their own sense of self-confidence.” This exact theme is very relevant to the photo and story, with the sense that Emily most likely obtained this odd behavior from the image her mother portrayed to her.

http://lifestyle.indianetzone.com/relationship/1/mother-daughter_relationships.htm

Blog #2: Exercise pg. 24-25

Sternfeld's photograph was very intriguing. The first observation I noticed was the writing on the outside of the building, which says, “When you take someone’s like you forfeit your own.” My first inference from digging deep within this photo includes the setting the building is surrounded in. There is clearly graffiti all over the property as well as several broken windows, which show it is quite a run-down building someplace in America. Along with these observations, it seems abnormal to see the building have somewhat of a cemetery along the sidewalk. With orange street cones fallen over, it is clear the city lacks care and any desire to respect those who have passed away. The windows contain several flyers that stand out as a “downtown drag”. Along the left side of the building, people have written, “Guilty…Life in prison, October 12, 1999”, which symbolized a freedom of speech to those who feel the urge to express their feelings. There is trash along the rim of the building, red paint, which is splattered whereabouts and furthermore consists of a drawing of a man…perhaps as some view as Jesus. The place is ultimately out of business, hence the “SOLD” sign placed on the front door. However, the words on the building leave me with an eerie feeling that this is not the place to neither risk one’s safety nor put yourself in such a situation.

Joel Sternfeld did a phenomenal job expressing his message and thoughts throughout this photograph. The structure of the image strikes me as very open and broad. So many different ideas can come out of the photo, and none ultimately seem incorrect. Sternfeld’s point of view repeatedly stands as straightforward. The reader is easily drawn into this world that lacks care and dedication. The phrase, “When you take someone’s life you forfeit your own” is the ultimate metaphor displayed in this piece of work. In conclusion, the words displayed are used to suggest a theme of freedom and visually provide a deeper understanding of poverty, which ultimately show Sternfeld’s message, is powerful and symbolic.

The link I chose to include is a biography/ photography selection of Joel Sternfeld himself!

http://www.luhringaugustine.com/index.php?mode=artists&object_id=67&view=bio

Exercise 7,( pg. 7)

The photograph presented on page 7, most vividly represents a homeless person in a big city. With the help of miscellaneous objects and symbols, this conclusion is based on many of the following observations. First, it is quite obvious this photo is taken outside, with the bench being a prime object of the setting. The bench and tree are enclosed in a fence, which leads me to the belief that it is perhaps taken within a park, overlooking the busy street. Sitting on the bench, there is a huge cardboard box, keeping closed with lots of rope and tape. Inside the box, holds several clothes. Along with the many clothes, there is a pillow sticking out. I find this a huge reference to this being somewhat of a homeless person’s surrounding.

Under the bench, another box appears to have “Handle with Care” written on the outside. While this is a common phrase on many packages, it leaves the observer somewhat thinking this person is making use of recycled boxes to hold his or her belongings. Beside this box, there are parts of this object scattered and torn off on the ground. Digging deeper, this box has most likely been used for many years, as there may have not been sufficient money to provide he or she a replacement box.

One interesting observation I found to be very intriguing, is the fact that all the activity going on outside of the park is very blurry. While you can still tell there is a busy city out there (perhaps New York?), I think the illustrator decided to have the observer focus solely on the homeless man or woman’s surrounding. From a distance, I observed a Burger King and a bicycle parked in front. There are people walking on the sidewalk, as well as two cards waiting at a busy stoplight. With the continuation of the idea that the distance is blurry, I have come to the conclusion that this scene may represent how a homeless individual feels day in and day out. Perhaps the distance to the real world is too far for such people to even fathom seeking.

The link I chose to attach to this blog entry, is an article based on homelessness in America. After reading this, the one question that really stood out to me is, “If the leaders of our country can justify and budget trillions of dollars to fund wars, than how can they possibly say we cannot afford investing in the elimination of poverty and homelessness in America?”. I found this information very relevant in today’s society as well as how it relates to the photograph on Page 7.

http://articlet.com/article3222.html