Tyger Tyger

In reflection on poetry that has impacted me, I looked way back to a television show I

 watched as a junior in high school, The Mentalist.  In this television show the Protagonist, Patrick Jane, is on the hunt for the serial killer known as Red John who killed his wife and daughter. He enlists as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation as he seeks at all cost to chase down this murderer. In his search (spoiler) he discovers an undercover illegal association among the justice system of California known as the Blake Association. Red John being the leader of this association has created the name of the association from the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake. As the series continues Jane runs into many in this association that feed him a single clue, the words, “Tyger, Tyger.” On one occasion while tied up with ropes Jane meets a masked Red John face to mask and Red John recites for him the first stanza of the poem.

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What Immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Upon reflection of this poem as a clue for Jane and his team, they discuss the meaning of the poem; that of opposites, light and darkness, life and death, the lamb and the tiger. In the show, this theme and symbolism makes sense as Red John fits the portrayal of the tiger while Jane fills that of the lamb. This made for an exciting series and gave a Ying/Yang stifle that I still enjoy watching. However, as I have reflected on this poem and analyzed it, its meaning has changed and developed in a different atmosphere for my own life.

From Empty Shelfs to Libraries

My growth in analyzing and critiquing literature this semester can be
compared to the building of a library. Each book is assembled and read one at a time. It may start with just a few books, but eventually grow to be a large library. In similar fashion I believe I started this semester with a very thin book shelf of knowledge. Maybe a couple of dusty copies of Dr. Seuss and Narnia filled the shelf but since it has grown to a more established shelf that is ready for more.

As the semester began and we started to watch plays I was interested to see the purpose. I felt that for an introduction to English studies it was odd to see blogs and dramatic performances take the front end of the semester. However, I can see from looking back at my analysis of "The Death of a Salesman" that allow though I noticed some things such as theme, lighting, and music I didn't truly understand how to analyze a play with respect to costuming, where the play is being performed, and the different types of vocal performances that place a profound influence on how a line in a production is received.

I also had new experiences this semester as I attended the play "Romeo y Julieta" and participated in the English Student Symposium. From the play on the campus of BYU I was fascinated at the ability they have to paint a story while having limited technology and funding. They were able to demonstrate the imagination I need in my writing and analysis even when I don't have much to work with. From the English Student Symposium, I learned that whatever my argument may be I must have absolute passion for what I am arguing. Without the passion for their topics I watched some students struggle to defend their position when critics asked hard questions, and with the passion for their topics I watched other students nobly stand for their argument with solid evidence and conviction. Any solid thesis statement must not only have the evidence to back it up, but the rigorous conviction of the writer.

Possibly most important, in regard to what I have learned and how my writing and literary analysis has developed from blogging in this class this semester, is the worth of being myself. As I read through blog teammates such as Mya's and Allie's post I found that the most impactful posts were the ones where I could hear their voices as I read their words

Martin Luther King once taught:

Human Progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal... requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

I am not even close to having a full bookshelf full of skills and knowledge in analyzing and writing about literature. Yet, from this class and blog I have felt small steps toward a distant goal. It's required some sacrifice, struggle and yes even some suffering but I do feel that I have expanded my bookshelf and it's open for more.

Perspective and Untapped Potential

Just shortly after World War 1 the United States went through a period of self-reflection. With 16 million dead this self-reflection included thoughts on religion and God. In 1925 religion was even put on trial in the John Scopes 'Monkey Trial' of Dayton, Tennessee. As people tried to cope with the destruction and trials they had faced they wondered about this man named Jesus and whether or not religion was actually making a change in their lives or in the world. It was during this time that Myra Brooks Welch wrote a poem that has deeply impacted my life since reading it and has increased my understanding of my Savior. The Touch of the Master’s Hand was published on February 26, 1921 in The Gospel Messenger. It beautifully describes something that metaphorically the Master, Jesus Christ, has amplified to it's true potential and made it more valuable. As we examine the poem we see that Welch has given us imagery that helps us understand this attribute of what the Savior can do for us.

We begin in an auction with an auctioneer that doesn't have much faith in an old violin:

’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

Communication Error

The Silent Child documents a fictional family with a very realistic situation. The youngest daughter, Libby, is deaf and mute and struggles to find her place in her British all hearing family. They hire a caring social worker that has a passion for sign language and a undying love for Libby. After some initial trouble communicating with Libby the two begin to understand each-other overtime and not only learn to communicate but become dear friends. However, Libby's mother begins to feel jealousy that she can't communicate with her daughter through sign language and fires the social worker moving Libby into a school she is not prepared to go to. The closing scenes show Libby's inadequacy at a school that clearly doesn't understand her disability. The depressing sadness upon Libby's face finishes with closing wording across the screen pleading for sign language recognition in every school. Clearly this is a film directed at more recognition and sign language but I also believe that it is a strong message about the lack of understanding between people in the world today.

The mother is the prime example. Each day the social worker comes to the house she attempts to teach the mother about her process or how to better work with Libby. And each day it is the mother that runs out, is distracted, or has her own agenda. The mothers lack of ability to listen and even greater problem of spending too little time with her child set her back in the relationship. This allows her jealousy to grow later in the film. A line is repeated by the mother twice throughout the film, "She follows what we say really well." Even though the film makers make it clear that Libby doesn't understand or connect with her family. This mother is oblivious to this blatant miscommunication between her and Libby because she is too engaged with her own life. Meanwhile we are given a beautiful montage of the social worker and Libby taking the time to learn and grow together building not only sign language, but understanding.

I believe a pertinent sub-issue addressed by this films script and the naturalist acting of the young girl and her social worker is the ability to understand and have a relationship with someone goes beyond the same language. Even before Libby could speak sign language she had a relationship with her social worker that her mother never could. It was not the same language that brought them together but rather the time, nurture, listening, and understanding of one another that built a bond that was crushing to both parties when torn apart. We could all learn to not only be accepting of sign language but to better our intercommunication skills as we build relationships with one another especially those we love.

Argumentation through Presentation

From watching six different presentations at Friday's English Student Symposium I recognized that quite possibly the most important part of any presentation is the passion that you have behind your argument or subject. I first attended a section entitled "Rhetoric of World Leaders." The main focus of the section was the rhetoric specific world leaders used and how it impacted their audiences and followings. The first speaker, Samantha Aramburu stole the show for the rest of session as she argued that, "Without rhetoric and ethics you cannot truly become a leader." Using the example of William Wilberforce, she argued that his influence upon British culture regarding the abolition of slavery came from his strong ethics combined with authoritative rhetoric. Her tremendous use of sources that defended her position from the life of Wilberforce as well as other contemporaries that followed his lead were convincing for us as an audience that her interpretation of leadership was correct. You could see her voice strongly throughout the whole of the presentation in a way that was foreign to the following speakers. As I attended the second session, “Calvinism in 17th-century British Literature” I noticed a similar theme where the presenters that had strong reactions about their arguments, when questioned, provided a more convincing argument than those that did not. My personal favorite was Olivia Moskot’s “Spiritual Evolution: Embracing Elements of Predestination Theology in George Herbert.”  She argued against Herbert's critics and defended his position as a Calvinist writer.

Overall, the student symposium seemed a success to me in demonstrating the rhetoric and presentation skills of several seniors in their argumentation of "Rhetoric of World Leaders" and "Calvinism in 17th-century British Literature."

The Sound of Tension or El Sonido de la Tensión

After attending Romeo y Julieta on February 8th I needed some time to chew on the masterpiece.. What stuck out to me and how I felt about it have been a mud puddle of different ideas. The language barrier was an interesting addition that was fun to watch and the cast did a magnificent job pulling it off. The writing of Shakespeare can be difficult to understand without two differing languages yet due to the superb acting of the cast even the Spanish were easy to understand with skills of body language and voice inflection within the context of the play. But there was something they did that really fascinated me. The use of sounds!
With a cast of only 8 members we quickly realized that the low production set was established and going back to Shakespearean times, all of the props and costumes were on stage with them. Yet, something that amazed me was the majority of background musical effects were produced by the cast. As the characters involved in the scene were onstage such as the one pictured above, the remaining cast members wouldn't leave the stage or sit aimlessly, but rather they became the  tension coming from the beating of the drums or the love coming from stringed instruments.
In a play adaptation regarding a lack of communication there was at least one element that was not foreign to a multi-cultural audience and cast, sound. The tension was built up not just by the acting of the characters but the combined efforts of remaining cast members "off stage." The acting was impressive, but what might have been more impressive was the effect the "off stage" members had upon the overall tone of the play, making it not only intense but in many ways come to life! I will be forever impressed at the effort and care that they put into this small production of a dramatic classic!
Bravo BYU Young Company!

Maybe he shouldn't be driving?

From reviewing all the ways to analyze drama I see now a different light for the way they established this plays opening. As willy is speaking with his wife the actor uses a lot of fillers which makes the audience wonder if he is nervous, or if he is just old. He uses "uhhhh" before he starts another part of a sentence, and is very shaky as he answers his wife questions, unsure of how to respond. The lack of fluidity in his words has us sense that this play will be influence by his old age's lack of surety.

I'm worried about Willy

To begin with, the youtube video's of this play were my first association with Death of a Salesman following Willy and his family, and much like his sons and wife, I'm worried about him too. 

(0:00-8:00) In this opening scene even though it's late I thought it was interesting that they started with a lot of light and then as the scene shifted to individual characters the focus of the lighting would be directed to the parents or the sons. Almost as if starting the play by suggesting that this is about the family, and then focusing on specific aspects of each family member. 

(0:00-5:40) This production is really fascinating because we see a silent copycat character in which Willy speaks to himself in a very literal sense.  If you continue the clip they keep both the boys talking as well as Willy talking to himself this time without the double. The set is much more low key probably low production budget set with no divide between the boys bed room which gives them a need to focus the lighting so we can't keep our eyes on everything in the room. I liked this one not because of the set but because the actors and light crew did the best with what they had.

(0:00-8:30)

Two things I noticed about this production that were significantly different than the previous. One was the background music. Behind the characters speaking there was background music that would fit the monologues and dialogue, they did a great job in selecting music that would fit the mood of each characters conversations such as Willy speaking to himself cuing around (7:35) The other thing that was interesting was the set, they had didn't levels and wide spacing making it easy for the audience to focus on one side of the stage while set and props were being moved on the far side. Quite well done for a high school drama club

The Shelf of an Aspiring CES Instructor

Between church books and literary classics made movies, I'm set. Hoping to add to the classic part of the collection this semester.