Thursday, June 3, 2010
My work of Art
My work of art is an attempt to draw a painting like Georgia O'Keefe. I try to mix and blend the colors in as much as I can much like she does and is famous for. Though I have really never painted before, my mom says it looks nice so that's all I need. Being a male,its hard to show feminism is a piece of art because I am not tied down by these things in everyday life. But The colors and topic of the painting (a flower) are more female that many other things i could have drawn.
As I lay Dying
Addie Bundren in As I Lay Dying by William Falkner is a weird woman to be observing considering she is pretty such dead the entire book. The only time she is able to speak is a lone chapter; the weird part would be that she is speaking after her death. Until this chapter most of what you learn about her is from her children. They say that they treated them not the nicest and they blame her for many of the problems they now have in their life. This is typical for a patriarchal mother; the males have more power and seem to blame woman for everything. A good example of this would be my mother screaming “why do you bring me into everything” all the time. Even with this slight hatred towards her, the family still has the power to pick up their feet and carry her casket many miles to bury her. This is the main topic of the book.
The word sin is used a lot when Addie is talking about sexuality or sexual desires. Since the novel is such a religiously guided book it is no surprise that Addie getting pregnant without being married is seems as a sin. Her children would be natural if I may bring in a King Lear idea. Sin is not seen in Dewey Dell who is also pregnant without marriage or parent approval. The only sin would be the abortion which she so slowly treks towards. Having all this “wrong:” around her, Addie feels her death to be righteous, kind of like she deserves it. In her one passage she talks about the devil and hell a bit, but fear is shown. As I lay Dying exemplifies the determination and power of a woman in Addie Bundren. She treated his kids un-kindly and thought herself as invisible. In the end, her importance in life is shown by the family’s determination to bury her throughout the book.
The final word I have to say about this book would be from the basic understanding of a feminist lense. William Falkner is a man and it is questionable is he can write or understand feminism or females. One main intention of a feminist is to have woman speak for themselves, but it’s hard to do that when you are a male. In the end Addie’s frustration and pursuit of a voice and be seen as motivation for any females who read the book.
The word sin is used a lot when Addie is talking about sexuality or sexual desires. Since the novel is such a religiously guided book it is no surprise that Addie getting pregnant without being married is seems as a sin. Her children would be natural if I may bring in a King Lear idea. Sin is not seen in Dewey Dell who is also pregnant without marriage or parent approval. The only sin would be the abortion which she so slowly treks towards. Having all this “wrong:” around her, Addie feels her death to be righteous, kind of like she deserves it. In her one passage she talks about the devil and hell a bit, but fear is shown. As I lay Dying exemplifies the determination and power of a woman in Addie Bundren. She treated his kids un-kindly and thought herself as invisible. In the end, her importance in life is shown by the family’s determination to bury her throughout the book.
The final word I have to say about this book would be from the basic understanding of a feminist lense. William Falkner is a man and it is questionable is he can write or understand feminism or females. One main intention of a feminist is to have woman speak for themselves, but it’s hard to do that when you are a male. In the end Addie’s frustration and pursuit of a voice and be seen as motivation for any females who read the book.
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings have always seemed womanly to me. The bright colors and flowers didn’t really appeal to me as a kid/. Even the skulls she sometimes drew had a female appeal to them. All this I have learned had made Georgia one of, if not the biggest feminist painter of her time. Capturing peoples perspectives around the world (men and woman alike), and winning herself the Presidential medal of freedom.
Looking at a painting by Georgia gives a feeling this is hard to explain. The fluidity of her painting makes everything on the canvas feel alive, and that’s they way she wants it! Comparing a painting of a naked woman and a tree will show many similarities. She is practicing her feminism by uncovering the female in everything. There is much controversy over some of her paintings, most notably some flowers, which look like woman’s private parts. Though O’Keefe denies that she intended them to look like that, it would not be surprising considering her feminist ways. Open sexuality is of course a main section of feminism since woman starting burning their bras.
An occurrence that comes up in many of her paintings is skulls. Her fixation on them can be described as an artist’s love of the intecrasy of the formation/derogation of bones. After a look through feminist history though, there seems to be quite a bit about skulls. Scientifically male skulls are bigger than females, which is one of the reasons why males though they were smarter for many thousands of years. Georgia’s fixation on skulls could be seems as a revolt of the theory, and promotion of female intelligence.
Looking at a painting by Georgia gives a feeling this is hard to explain. The fluidity of her painting makes everything on the canvas feel alive, and that’s they way she wants it! Comparing a painting of a naked woman and a tree will show many similarities. She is practicing her feminism by uncovering the female in everything. There is much controversy over some of her paintings, most notably some flowers, which look like woman’s private parts. Though O’Keefe denies that she intended them to look like that, it would not be surprising considering her feminist ways. Open sexuality is of course a main section of feminism since woman starting burning their bras.
An occurrence that comes up in many of her paintings is skulls. Her fixation on them can be described as an artist’s love of the intecrasy of the formation/derogation of bones. After a look through feminist history though, there seems to be quite a bit about skulls. Scientifically male skulls are bigger than females, which is one of the reasons why males though they were smarter for many thousands of years. Georgia’s fixation on skulls could be seems as a revolt of the theory, and promotion of female intelligence.
Lord of the Flies
Looking at the book “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding through a feminist lens is not an easy task. At first glance a book about a bunch of boys seems to have nothing to do with females whatsoever. What you have to do is put yourself in the shoes of a woman who is reading this book when it came out. Mainly because much has changed with woman’s rights over the years, and it’s important to see the book the way it was presented in its published time period. It is not a sexist book; the isolation of pure males is trying to show the degradation of moral and proper human standards. Males seem to have a more animal side when deprived of order, then say an island of pure girls. Though I do not think the ending would be any different in the end. If there were a few women, things might have ended a bit darker because men can’t help themselves in times of desperation.
Since there are no females in the actual story, a feminist would first focus on the absence of the boy’s mothers on the island. The mothers are the ones who taught the kids half of what they know. Most of the boys relied on them for a person of trust in times of fear and uncomfort. Now without them, the boys start to beak down. Some cry, but most see the opportunity of power and attempt to take it. Everything their mothers have taught them in their life seems to have gone down the drain. They fight, attack each other, and go to the bathroom all over the place. Without the aura of mother around all the boys turn into animals.
Another female emergence of the book that seems to have hid from me for a while was the female pig or sow on the island. Well after the kids have crossed the dark side and become animal, they come across a sow with her little piglets. The boys brutally murder the pig with spears, going in and out, which seems almost like a rape scene than a ritual killing. The killing shows not only the derogation of a males conscience without females, but also what they would do to them. Men certainly cannot help themselves in times of desperation. Looking at the author, Golding actually admitted to trying to rape a woman in his youth. Though it’s not certain of his relationship with his mother, the event was no doubt the basis of the chapter.
Since there are no females in the actual story, a feminist would first focus on the absence of the boy’s mothers on the island. The mothers are the ones who taught the kids half of what they know. Most of the boys relied on them for a person of trust in times of fear and uncomfort. Now without them, the boys start to beak down. Some cry, but most see the opportunity of power and attempt to take it. Everything their mothers have taught them in their life seems to have gone down the drain. They fight, attack each other, and go to the bathroom all over the place. Without the aura of mother around all the boys turn into animals.
Another female emergence of the book that seems to have hid from me for a while was the female pig or sow on the island. Well after the kids have crossed the dark side and become animal, they come across a sow with her little piglets. The boys brutally murder the pig with spears, going in and out, which seems almost like a rape scene than a ritual killing. The killing shows not only the derogation of a males conscience without females, but also what they would do to them. Men certainly cannot help themselves in times of desperation. Looking at the author, Golding actually admitted to trying to rape a woman in his youth. Though it’s not certain of his relationship with his mother, the event was no doubt the basis of the chapter.
A feminist Lense
The feminist movement is the movement which’s goal is to provide greater rights and legal freedom for females. Much of women’s literature up to our century has been focuses or influenced in some way by this sexual discrimination. That first time that “Woman picked up her pen to defend her sex” (Simone De Beauvoir) was as far back as the 15th century, at least that’s the furthest we have records of it.
When trying to define a feminist piece of work, there are many things you have to factor in. Some traits would be the language and symbolism that the author applies to the piece of work, and how these are more “female”. Also that the author being male or female affects the meaning of the work, most notably that males often write differently than females. Among others the portrayal of female characters as heroes or main characters in the least is an act of feminism. Many females barely talked and sometimes almost didn’t exist in early work. A feminist would make their characters “undermine the sexual stereotype” of woman. Making them things that counteracted the normal, raise a family, cook, and clean way people saw woman as.
In history and still to this day woman and men are considered unequal. For example, those not being able to vote for so long, or apply to certain jobs sparked hatred in woman around the world. In art, females would appeal this patriarchal idea in an attempt to stop it. Books and paintings enlighten people, clearing their mind to what is most important. Woman saw this and acted together as soon as the fist lady “picked up her pen”. The main reason that woman are nearly as equal as men is because of these artists not having fear of the consequences a the time of speaking up.
Finally feminism in art is not only revolutionary, but beautiful. Some of the art, most notably paintings, were never really seen before. The colors and attitudes were not normally portrayed from a male author. Hopefully after all equality is gained, the art will continue on because of its beauty and not for its hatred and oppression.
When trying to define a feminist piece of work, there are many things you have to factor in. Some traits would be the language and symbolism that the author applies to the piece of work, and how these are more “female”. Also that the author being male or female affects the meaning of the work, most notably that males often write differently than females. Among others the portrayal of female characters as heroes or main characters in the least is an act of feminism. Many females barely talked and sometimes almost didn’t exist in early work. A feminist would make their characters “undermine the sexual stereotype” of woman. Making them things that counteracted the normal, raise a family, cook, and clean way people saw woman as.
In history and still to this day woman and men are considered unequal. For example, those not being able to vote for so long, or apply to certain jobs sparked hatred in woman around the world. In art, females would appeal this patriarchal idea in an attempt to stop it. Books and paintings enlighten people, clearing their mind to what is most important. Woman saw this and acted together as soon as the fist lady “picked up her pen”. The main reason that woman are nearly as equal as men is because of these artists not having fear of the consequences a the time of speaking up.
Finally feminism in art is not only revolutionary, but beautiful. Some of the art, most notably paintings, were never really seen before. The colors and attitudes were not normally portrayed from a male author. Hopefully after all equality is gained, the art will continue on because of its beauty and not for its hatred and oppression.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
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