My Final Word

This was my first experience blogging and I spent extra time proofreading every post because my credibility was on the line—people will be reading my blog and I strived to ensure my posts were grammatically correct and without spelling mistakes. My biggest challenge was inserting the images within the text. The editing features for the images are very limited and, many times, the images mysteriously moved around within the editor— I found this part frustrating and it inhibited my creativity.

While analyzing the images for the blog, I learned visual rhetoric is something that everyone is exposed everywhere they are, and it can be processed and understood in many different ways. There is deeper meaning to everything you read or see and it’s important to take the time to analyze each piece of information one at a time to create an effective analysis. Every day I walk through the UCC atrium and stop to observe students who are actively participating in promoting a cause or providing information on a controversial issue. I found this communication is important in gaining new perspectives about the visual rhetoric presented by the students and each time I came away from these valuable experiences with a new awareness of other students’ life experiences. Overall, it helped me to become a better writer by teaching me to look at everything closer and use that information to make my writing more interesting. 

I eagerly looked forward to my Wednesday night classes because the topics always prompted interesting discussions from students who had amazing perspectives. The visuals presented by Dr. Green-Barteet provoked alot of thought and, from this wonderful experience, I was surprised at first when she presented this image and then intrigued with the painting titled "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" by Lucian Freud (see Figure 1), which sold for 33 million U.S.

Figure 1. Benefits Supervisor Sleeping.
Source: London Evening Standard, April 11, 2008.

After searching the internet, I learned the painting is large and life size (59 5/8 x 86¼ inches), and the model is Sue Tilley, a job centre manager, who modeled for Freud several times. Freud did not use photographs; he insisted the model be present at all times until he finished painting the canvas. By enlarging sections of the painting on the internet for a closer look, I saw Freud spent a long time painting the details on every inch of the canvas. Although the painting may not appeal visually to some people, I appreciate the time and effort to create it and now have concluded that this painting, in my mind, is art and not to be dismissed as a fat naked lady sleeping on an old couch.

Being part of a blogosphere was a little intimidating at first because a blog was not only published to the class community but to the greater community of anonymous bloggers who can freely comment on my posts. Althought it gave me an opportunity to freely publish my thoughts and develop my writing style, I wonder who read it. I was expecting a more social aspect to blogging and maybe it would if a blog were to discuss a controversial issue that would generate an emotional response from the community. I wasn't sure how a blogger would encourgage others in the community to participate. Blogging about visual rhetoric is interesting but it may need an image to give a blog more punch and it lends itself to a journalistic style of writing.

What I've Learned and Taking Away from the Course:  

As a technical and professional writer,this course pushed me beyond my comfort zone in my writing. I can easily articulate a business problem and develop a proposal supported by numbers but it was challenging to develop a thesis statement and support an argument for an image with words. Writing about the rhetorical situation of an image was very unlike the policies and procedures I written in the past—it commanded a different style of writing. I learned, surprisingly, I could do it but it’s not easy and it’s hard work! I explored different ways to express myself and it took many revisions (and late nights) before I had a final version ready for submission. The peer reviews were helpful and many thanks to the students who took the time to review my work. Although I can make an argument about something, it must be supported to make a strong case—I can’t leave it hanging where people are asking “so what?”

And to Dr. Green-Barteet—thank you for expanding my knowledge and thinking with a variety of visuals and unique topics each lecture. As I walk through art galleries and museums with my artistic daughter, I can intelligently challenge her with an argument about art! I learned how to compose and support an argument, which are skills that I will use to write about issues that matter to me.

Other things I learned and experienced this term:

·         MLA does not allow bulleted lists

·         Turnitin.com—guilty until proven innocent!

·         Art can be defined as anything in the eye of the beholder

·         Fashion can be art, too!

·         Always question what I see in a photograph

·         A classroom shouldn’t be located across from the Grad Club  

·         MC Rm. 6 is one of the worst classrooms on campus

Remember This Every Year!

When I saw the London Free Press on November 9, 2010, the vivid blue in the photograph held my gaze (see Figure 1 below). As I unfolded the newspaper, I was impressed to see this enlarged photograph on the front page, and as I read the caption underneath, it made me smile because finally young people are realizing the true meaning of Remembrance Day.   


Figure 1. Thirteen-year-old Matthews Hall pupils  Jessie Tucker and Graham Peck are illuminated by  the names of those who died in the First World  War during a vigil at the London elementary  school on Monday. The naming of all 68,000 Canadians who perished in the 1914-18 war will  end 12 hours before the nation pauses for a momentof silence Thursday. (MIKE HENSEN, The London Free Press.

Schools across Canada participated in the remembrance project, The National Schools Vigil, where names of 68,000 soldiers who died in World War 1 were projected over seven consecutive days from November 4 to November 10.  In the photograph, two young people, a girl and a boy dressed in school uniforms, are standing at attention and staring ahead while the soldier between them stands with his head bent. The young people represent the men and women who volunteered to sacrifice their lives and respectfully watch as each name is displayed for 25 seconds. The soldier between the young people is known as “The Brooding Soldier” (see Figure 2 below) and he is a Canadian memorial located in St. Julien, Belgium where he stands as a sentinel, with an expression of sympathy on his face, over the battlefield were 2,000 Canadians died from the first German chlorine gas attacks.  


Figure 2. The Brooding Soldier, St. Julien, Belgium. Source: The WW1 Forum for the Netherlands and Flanders

 

The image of “The Brooding Soldier” is appropriate for the rhetorical situation because he now is given the duty of watching the names of 68,000 soldiers—an honorable representation! The statue is permanent and unchanging just like the war and its causalities. The gray color evokes a feeling of mourning and a sense of formality, which occurs at a funeral and is fitting for this situation. The blue background evokes calm and peace, feelings embraced by Canadians every day because of the illuminated names that appear on the wall. The caption helps the reader to understand the photograph because without it, the reader is left to guess the intended meaning. The accompanying article added to the rhetorical situation by providing detail information about the photograph and it helped the reader to put it into context. 

  

Remembrance Day is a day Canadians need to remember those who died, those who died in all wars, including those who were killed in Afghanistan. Remembrance Day is getting increased attention each year because of Canada’s ongoing participation in Afghanistan. We are able to immediately see and hear the details of each solider who died in Afghanistan—the vivid  images of a casket being unloaded from the cargo plane at Trenton and the detail expression of grief on the face of each family member. Every Remembrance Day, Carolyn Wilson will honor her son, Mark Wilson, who died October 2006 in Afghanistan, at the Victoria Park cenotaph in London, Ontario and is determined to make sure Canadians do not forget about those who bravely fought for Canada. She has my support! 

 

Understanding the Misunderstood – Margaret Trudeau

 

Figure 1. Andy Warhol & Margaret

Trudeau; Studio 54, 1978. Photo by Adam

Scull - PHOTOLink.net

 A great admiration for Margaret Sinclair Trudeau Kemp developed the day I heard on the CBC evening news she married an old man, Pierre Trudeau, who was nearly thirty years her senior and Canada’s charismatic and flamboyant Prime Minister. Over the next few years, Canadians continued to hear about Maggie, the flower child, about her unusual antics and peculiar behaviour.  In the 1970’s, she became the misbehaving ex-wife who partied at Studio 54 with Andy Warhol (see Figure 1) to escape reality.



Figure 2. Margaret Trudeau; Studio 54,

1979. Source: cbc.ca

 

In Figure 2, Maggie looks delusional and, perhaps, experiencing uncontrollable euphoria. There was something wrong—something deeply wrong that people didn’t understand.

 



Figure 3. Margaret Trudeau,

September 2010.

Source: speakers.ca

After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001, Figure 3 shows a new Maggie. Looking outward, she portrays a strong and determined person who looks balanced and happy. Her facial expression gives the impression of hopefulness but there is weariness about her physical facial features that show her continuous fight with her mental illness. The wistful hair and her hand resting on the side of her face give the feeling of compassion and warm-heartedness.  This image commands respect—a compassionate respect Maggie deserves from Canadians who misunderstood her in the past. The most intriguing characteristic I like about Maggie is that she is a fighter—she fought every day of her life to cope with her illness and now, she continues the fight with confidence and determination to win her battle. After being enclosed in a cocoon by an undiagnosed illness for over thirty years, Margaret Sinclair Trudeau Kemp has emerged as a brilliant colorful butterfly, free to spread her wings to fly as high as she can!  

Figure 3. Margaret Trudeau,

September 2010.

Source: speakers.ca