TED: Storytelling

IF A STORY MOVES YOU, ACT ON IT

 https://www.ted.com/talks/sisonke_msimang_if_a_story_moves_you_act_on_it/transcript

The title of this TED talk is quit misleading. Sisonke Msimang, the speaker, discusses three reasons on why stories are not as magical as they seem, and why they often get in the way of real action. The first reason she discusses is the way stories can create illusions of solidarity. People hear and read stories that create an illusion that they actually did what they read or that they are some how making an impact by listening to someone else's life. Unfortunately, by just sitting and reading or hearing isn't actually taking action, and many people fall into this trap. The second compelling argument deals with the protagonist and antagonist. Most people are drawn to the protagonist, due to them usually being the likable character, and in most cases the hero. Yet, the antagonist is the person you disregard, and throw under the bus because their morals or actions don't agree with what you believe. The antagonist stands for the things in life we don't want to confront or acknowledge. Msimang at this point in her talk told a story of her childhood about a kid stealing her bike, and then getting chased down and forced to apologize. She related this story to how she had too, for the first time in her life, stand and listen to the boy give an apology, when she knew the boy hated her and her statues, and how it was a hard lesson to learn that the messages we don't want to hear are the ones we need to hear most. Lastly, Msimang stated that stories are not always good because people normally forget to look at the bigger picture. She goes on to give a few examples of how people forget to link the narratives to meaning. In conclusion to her speech, she lists off a few ways society could make the world a better place, in the realm of  storytelling. Although, she believes storytelling has a lot of faults, she believes some of it can still be good.

Sisonke Msimang was able to get her point across through humor and personal stories. By using a form of pathos, Msimang is able to lighten up the mood of her talk. She begins her speech with some humor to drag the audience in, "...and it's the perfect talk. It's the talk that I would have given if I had been famous first." This gave way to laughter, leading her audience to listen in on what she was saying. She keeps with the humor through out her speech. It was found mostly in her stories, "So my bike was stolen while I was riding it...". Since she was able to make people laugh, she was able to connect with them and having a connection is one way to get people to like you and care about what you are saying. So, by using humor she could get her point across and have people take real notice and consideration. Another tool Msimang used to get her point across was logos. It's difficult to tell someone what they're doing has no real significance, but it's easier to tell them with facts. One specific example, was closer to the end, when she began to discuss the ways in which people have begun to trust stories instead of the media. she quotes, " only 10 percent of young adults under the age of 30 'place a lot of trust in the media'". Msimang believes this to be bad, because people should rely on credible facts that come from the media. Following this statement she goes on to say, "From my years as a social justice activist, I know very well that we need credible facts from media institutions combined with the powerful voices of storytellers. That's what pushes the needle forward in terms of social justice." This is a form of ethos, and it is another tool she used to persuade people on her views. By telling people of her life and how it relates to her topic, can convince someone that she is credible to discuss what she's talking about. 

I chose this TED talk because I saw another video of her talking on TED talks called "Mad at Mandela" and the way she spoke and what she talked about moved me and I thought she was very convincing.  Although this was a totally different discussion she was still able to drag me into what she was talking about, and once she was done giving her speech I understood why stories aren't as magical as they seem. Unfortunately, I'm quick to believe a lot of what people say without hard evidence, and I love fiction, but after listening to Msimang I should really start paying attention to the things that get overlooked. If you're reading this blog I highly recommend listening to it. 

Hyde & Jekyll

Part One:

Excerpts

Chapter 1 & Chapter 3

     What does Mr. Hyde look like? what exactly is wrong with Mr. Hyde's appearance? To figure this out you have to put in some thought. When Enfield describes Hyde to Mr. Utterson (the lawyer) he leaves out any of the usual physical traits most stories begin with, like blue eyes, black hair, large nose, etc.. Instead of the common characteristics, he leads with, "There is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something down-right detestable"(page 8). As Enfield cannot explicitly name any physical faults in Mr. Hyde's appearance, the reader is left to their own imagination, which leads to one of a dark, horrific monstrous man, that cares for no one but himself. The strong negative connotations of phrases like "down-right detestable" and "he gives a strong feeling of deformity" make the reader believe this. Later on, after taking in Mr. Enfield's account and the will Jekyll told Utterson to hold onto, Utterson came to the conclusion that, "out of the shifting, insubstantial mists that had so long baffled his eye, there leaped up the sudden, definite presentment of a fiend" (page 9). It seems throughout this chapter that Mr. Hyde was being described off of what he sounded like and the actions he made, and through these the reader can get a good sense of who this man really was.


    On the other hand, Dr. Jekyll is perceived as someone of good, and the reader can see that he is the opposite of Mr. Hyde. In this excerpt a description of Dr. Jekyll is given, he is characterized as, "...a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a stylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness..." (14). This description contrasts what the reader would perceive Mr. Hyde as, and it shows that Mr. Jekyll is respected, as well as liked by many. This description also provides physical characteristics of Mr. Jekyll, making him seem realer than Mr. Hyde because the reader can actually imagine a face. The use of simpler descriptive diction such as "large", where words like imposing or substantial would likely have been applied to Hyde, makes Jekyll into a gentler and nicer character. The development of ideas on Jekyll's character that we readers engage in, is the presence of dramatic irony. Everyone knows that Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll are the dual personalities of one man, but the positive diction used to describe his appearance and how others regard him, give the reader underlying knowledge that some parts of Mr. Jekyll are in fact evil. This makes the reader not fully like Mr. Jekyll even though everyone else mentioned In the book as said they did.


Part Two:

The two poems I created that are the voices of Jekyll and Hyde, are the descriptions of the two, which I wrote about above. I based the poems off of the struggle between good and evil, and how no matter how much you want of one, the other will always try to break free. Although both of them are aware of who they are and want to stay in that body, there is a constant struggle with the other part. Both poems give the reader a feel for what both of the characters are feeling and thinking.

Dr. Jekyll

I am the good part
the part that is loved

I am caring, with kindness to give

A doctor who cares for life

A man with a hidden secret

A thought
A whisper

Yelling to set him free. Yet,
havoc is what he desires

STOP. I will not.

I will stay above the dark my friend
I need help, for I am a man now

But not for long.


Mr. Hyde

I am the bad part
the part that is hated

I am monstrous, with knives for words

I am a doctor who longs for death

A man with a hidden secret

A cry
or maybe it's a crack in my mind

Yelling for me to turn. Yet,
this is me, I cannot. Will not. Change

YES. I will not

Fall into the abyss my friend
for you burden me with a conscious

But not for long.

Freebie

I'm using my play freebie!!!!

Lord Acton and Shakespeare Beliefs

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton
To what extent would Shakespeare agree with this statement? Use the play and your own experience as your support.


In my opinion this quote is an idiom that means who holds unchecked power or authority is likely to become corrupt or abuse one's position. Do you guys remember the Jane Erye story and how Mr. Brocklehurst had complete control over the school and the people in it? Do you remember how evil and corrupt the man was to the teachers and children? Well, he is a perfect example of this quote. He misused his power and treated those underneath him like they were worthless and stupid. He abused his position because he could and no one could stop him.  

Throughout acts 1-3 in the play Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, the desire for absolute power is the main driving force for the two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are consumed with a thirst for complete rule, and are willing to achieve it by whatever means necessary. Power had corrupted the thoughts, actions and behaviors of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and as a result of their greed, selfishness and strong desire for the crown, they will soon find out that they are unable to escape the tragic fate at the end of the play that was a result of their own doing.

In the beginning of the play Shakespeare makes Macbeth a celebrated, brave soldier who's loyalty lies with the king (Duncan) and is trusted, as well as respected by him. Unfortunately, his down fall begins when he is greeted by three weird women (witches) who tell him a prophecy. This prophecy says that Duncan will become Thane of Cawdor. As Lady Macbeth learns of this we see that her desire for power starts to break free and we see her start to become corrupt. She right away wished this prophecy to come true. Her longing for power and wishes to be a queen drove her thoughts and feelings to be very corrupt and cruel. An example of her corrupt thoughts as a result of the desire for power is evident upon her reaction to her husband’s letter. She tells Macbeth that they must kill king Duncan for the prophecy to come true, but she fears that her husband’s nature is too pure and that he doesn’t have enough ambition to commit the crimes necessary to fulfill it. She says, "Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it. what thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false (page 31, lines 19-22).” This quote shows that Lady Macbeth is willing to “play false” or act in corrupt ways to attain the power she wants.                                 

In Act two of the play Duncan is killed and Macbeth becomes the Thane of Cawdor, as predicted by the three witches, whose scheming helps drive Macbeth’s ambition and ultimately transform him into a murderer and tyrant. How much of a push Macbeth needed to turn to murder is not clear, but the word of three mysterious women appears to be enough to drive him to kill. Our perception of Macbeth as a brave soldier is further eroded when we see how easily he is manipulated by Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth was the driving force behind Macbeth, telling him to go over the edge and fulfil his prophecy. Throughout the play the idea of her being powerful takes over and she does what ever is necessary to make sure Macbeth follows through with their plan. She is there every step of the way telling him he deserves the crown and that he must not be a coward. When Macbeth finally killed Duncan he is suddenly overwhelmed with ambition and self-doubt. Although he constantly questions his own actions, he is also compelled to commit further atrocities in order to cover up his previous wrongdoings. The moment he became king he ordered three murderers to kill his best friend Banquo, along with his son. Shakespeare writes this because he wanted to show how Macbeth's need for power and lust was leading him to do unthinkable things.

In conclusion, Shakespeare's whole play surrounds Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's search for power. Shakespeare starts off with why they want it and how they plan to attain it, and through this we see their characters change and evolve into power thirsty humans. By Act 3 Shakespeare writes about their come to power and what they currently are doing with it, and through this we see that ultimate power does make the person in authority abuse it and become corrupt. This as lead me to believe Shakespeare would definitely agree with this quote by Lord Aron.

       Well guys, you could take this either two ways. One, power is the root of all evil and leads to unimaginable things, or, having power can gives you great benefits like being able to ask for anything and it get done. If you believe in the second way I hope you are ready to handle the soul-crushing internal guilt that comes as a result.

I'm using my semester freebie:)))))))

Jane Eyre and the Canterbury Tales

Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Explain how the character’s alienation reveals the surrounding society’s assumptions and moral values.

In the story of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, alienation of the main character and other girls is used by the author to reveal what society thinks and believes. Jane is a new student at her school and is very shy and doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of her classmates. She and others were alienated by Mr. Brocklehurst, who was the principle of the school, when he showed up to the classroom to talk to Ms. Temple.

When Mr. Bocklehurst walked into the classroom he stood next to the teacher, Ms. Temple and spoke quietly to her. After speaking to Ms. Temple for some time he had surveyed the classroom and his eyes fell on a girl named Julia. He looked shocked and called her out in front of everyone by proclaiming, "Miss Temple, Miss Temple, what--WHAT is that girl with curled hair? Red hair, ma'am, curled--curled all over?"  He had pointed his cane at her and shook it with disgust. After learning of Julia's name he fussed about her hair and why it was curly, stating it was defining every principle at the school and was not what he wanted her and every other girl to look like. This alludes to what society values because Mr. Bocklehurst said that the hair must be cut off because it would take to long to mess around with in the morning and he stated that he was there to teach the girls how to be proper and to mortify into the girls the lust of the flesh. Society values shamelessness and a women's natural self, and that is why Mr. Bocklehurst got so mad at Julia, it was because he thought she curled her hair on purpose to impress others.

Mr. Bocklehurst also called out Jane in front of her classmates when she dropped her slate. He made her stand upon a stool as everyone started at her and he proclaimed her to be careless and not a true child of God. By making Jane do this he was alienating her from everyone else. As a punishment he told everyone in the class to shun her from activities and to be wary of her presence. The teachers were to do the same and to keep a keen eye on her and to punish her for the simplest of acts. Mr. Bocklehurst went on scrutinizing her and he called her a liar. This example shows that society believes that everyone must strive to be perfect and that every wrong doing must come with a price.

GUCCI GUCCI GUCCI

Author: Gucci
Date: Spring 2011 add Campaign

When I first glanced at this picture I saw two women dressed in very fancy, expensive clothing. One of them is sitting down looking off into the distance while the other is leaned over about to kiss a guy who is also sitting down and he is dressed in nice clothes as well. They seem to be at a house and in the background there is another man leaning against a wall. There is "Gucci" written across the add in white lettering.
After I analyzed the photo In depth I saw a bigger picture. The add is trying to sell clothing and how they are doing this is by one, making people envy the models and the clothes, and two, by making the audience lust over it.
Since Gucci is a very popular and expensive brand their adds are going to portray that. They used three gorgeous models and each look confident and powerful. Having these aspects portrayed is a very good marketing technique because when the audience sees it they want to not only look like the people on the add, they want to buy the clothing so that they too can feel confident too. We see this especially with the model leaned over about to kiss the guy. She seems very confident in herself and see seems to do what she wants. The add also gets the audience to envy the brand by having the models up close so that they can see the clothes. The clothing looks expensive and very fitting. The audience is drawn to this and if you are rich because that is the target audience of this brand, considering how expensive it is, you would want to buy the items. lastly for envy, people will want to aspire to be these people because of the setting they're in. It is placed at a very nice, rich house, not somewhere run down. This is done on purpose because it shows that if you buy Gucci you are probably rich and the add wants to allude to those certain people. Lust is also seen in this add because the audience feels like if they wore clothing like that then they can get guys like the one sitting down.

I noticed the layout of the add as well. Like I said above, the two women and one of the guys are sitting close up to the camera, and this is done to show off their clothes. The models are also shot in a very neat area. There is not much around but it looks very sharp and this is done like this because it portrays the brand name. Gucci is very sharp and extremely high priced, and the layout definitely shows this. The "Gucci" name doesn't even have to be placed on the add for someone to know that it is for high priced clothes and rich folks.