Caylen's Collage
Vickie's Collage
sources
My collage is meant to represent the way that women are "supposed" to grow up and become. Starting off with a baby and all the pink and girly toys like "my first purse". It then moves to the teenaged point where the girls are supposed to be super skinny and have all the designer clothes with the perfect boyfriend. Finally it shows how everything is supposed to end up: being a mother, wife, soccer mom, etc. I also added an image of a book that is a girl's guide to growing up. I thought this went along with my theme because a book like that is giving off the impression that there is one way to do things to grow up to be the right kind of girl. I think that this theme went along with what we have been reading in class. It seems like a lot of the stories have been women writing about not being happy in the stereotypical female role.
Jamie's Collage
The intent I had in making my collage was to show the story of a marriage falling apart. In the centre, the wedding rings bound together show the bond that marriage is meant to be, and the other images focus around the failure of that bond. Due to the invention of no-fault divorce, it seems that marriage is less of a big deal and more of a casual thing. The picture with the woman looking down upon her male servant contrasts the one with the woman kneeling by the man’s feet. It seems that today, there are many new marriages that become more of a power-struggle between man and wife. I feel that all the images come together to tell the story of marriage and how it has slowly become more of a “trend” due to the short-lived marriages we read about in the tabloids, and it is no longer a serious endeavour.
Stefanie's Collage
Stefanie's Sources
My collage tells the story of striving to be skinny. It focuses on women, because this is who I think feel those pressures most. The pictures are supposed to tell the story of a girl, maybe slightly overweight, and the pressures that would be on this girl. Magazines constantly encourage females to “get toned” or do these exercises, or look like celebrities in this way, through this or that method and style... I wanted to show that the celebrities are not all that attractive, and that doing the things they do can have harmful affects. I showed pictures of skinny celebrities and then also a girl who is clearly sick, from starving herself. The ironic thing is the girl lying on the bench- supposedly displaying the weakness of anorexia— looks just like the model in the picture next to it. I find it interesting that the model is supposed to be seen as glamorous while the girl on the bench is seen as being sick. This fact is exactly what I want to get across, that being skinny is not as glamorous as as society makes it out to be. I hope the my collage inspires females to be happy the way they are, because being the way these celebrities are isn’t healthy, or good looking.
Quetta’s collage
Jim’s Collage
Megan's collage
Meegan's collage
My collage is about societies expectations of mothers. Society expects mothers to be SuperMoms; to do everything, take care of everyone and always be happy about it. With this collage I’m trying to show how society makes mothers feel. The guilt mothers often feel comes from society and its expectations. Mothers are supposed to be happy and loving at all times. Mothers should not discipline their children in front of others for fear of being judged or possibly reported. There are many quotes out there about mothers and several of them compare mother to God, to holiness, to heaven. How much pressure is that for a mother? It sounds like a compliment but really I think it just puts more pressure on mothers to be perfect at all times. No one is perfect but society seems to expect mothers to be.
synergizedsolutions.com/simpsons/pictures.shtml
primadonna.i.ph/blogs/primadonna/index.php?bl...
www.jayblotcher.com/cards/order.html
www.globegazette.com/.../june_winner.php
http://www.mothersmovement.org/features/mhoodpapers/new_future/0505_3.htm
cgi.ebay.com/Custom-PORTRAIT-from-photos-perf...
www.wga.hu/html/b/brocky/04brocky.html
http://anndouglas.blogspot.com/2006/04/mom-university-debra-gilbert-rosenberg.html
Collages--put 'em right here:
Tracee's collage
I started out, well, in a lot of different places, but I ended up being most interested in equality narratives. Specifically, I was interested in women assuming roles that were traditionally held by men in order to prove their equality. The text that made me start thinking about it was Sojourner Truth’s speech about doing the same work as men. I pulled her quote out and then looked for pictures of women taking on traditionally male roles. That reminded me of a poem by Anne Bradstreet that we read in another one of my classes. The poem is called “The Prologue” and Anne Bradstreet wrote poetry during a time when women weren’t supposed to write poetry. She also didn’t write it with the intention of publishing, so I feel like her poetry reflects her thought and feelings more accurately than if she was trying to make a political statement. I’ll attach a copy of the poem, but I only put one stanza on the collage about how women can do the same quality of work as men, but, if they do, they are ignored. I also looked at some of the other authors that we’ve read and found a quote by Charlotte Perkins Gilman that speaks to women and men being equal. So the narrative that I ended up focusing on is when women try to be equal to men by being the same as them. So on my collage, there are pictures of women in traditionally male roles and quotes by women about being the same as men, as opposed to just equal. However, I found a picture of two lesbians dressed as men, which inspired me to think about reactions to women trying to be the same as men. I had read a quote about women becoming the men they want to marry. I found this quote, by Gloria Steinem, and also remembered a quote about how women shouldn’t try to be the same as men, since we obviously aren’t, but should try to use their differences to complement each other. I found a quote by Joan Baez to this effect, and also a quote that I thought was funny by Frank O’Connor that summed up this reaction against the women-becoming-men narrative. I used the pictures as background to show the actions that women are using in the narrative and I made the quotes supporting the narratives smaller and the reactive quotes larger so that the reactions to the narrative would stand out.
The Prologue
1
To sing of wars, of captains, and of kings,
Of cities founded, commonwealth begun,
For my mean pen are too superior things:
Or how they all, or each their dates have run
Let poets and historians set these forth,
My obscure lines shall not so dim their worth.
2
But when my wond'ring eyes and envious heart
Great Bartas sugared lines do but read o'er,
Fool I do grudge the Muses did not part
"Twixt him and me that overfluent store;
A Bartas can do what a Bartas will
But simple I according to my skill.
3
From schoolboy's tongue no rhetoric we expect,
Nor yet a sweet consort from broken strings,
Nor perfect beauty where's a main defect;
My foolish, broken, blemished Muse so sings,
And this to mend, alas, no art is able,
"Cause nature made it so irreparable.
4
Nor can I, like that fluent sweet tongued Greek
Who lisped at first, in future times speak plain.
By art he gladly found what he did seek,
A full requital of his striving pain.
Art can do much, but this maxim's most sure:
A weak or wounded brain admits no cure.
5
I am obnoxious to each carping tongue
Who says my hand a needle better fits,
A poet's pen all scorn I should thus wrong,
For such despite they cast on female wits;
If what I do prove well, it won't advance,
They'll say it's stol'n, or else it was by chance.
6
But sure the antique Greeks were far more mild
Else of our sex, why feigned they those nine
And poesy made Calliope's own child;
So 'mongst the rest they placed the arts divine;
But this weak knot they will full soon untie,
The Greeks did nought, but play the fools and lie.
7
Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are
Men have precedency and still excel,
It is but vain unjustly to wage war;
Men can do best, and women know it well.
Preeminence in all and each is yours;
Yet grant some small acknowledgment of ours.
8
And oh ye high flown quills that soar the skies,
And ever with your prey still catch your praise,
If e'er you deign these lowly lines your eyes,
Give thyme or parsley wreath, I ask no bays;
This mean and unrefined ore of mine
Will make your glist'ring gold but more to shine.
Jenny's collage
My intention in creating this collage was to focus on the narrative of women in religion and the church. The story has existed since biblical times; women have a very specific yet silent role in the church. It seems that women are supposed to be Sunday school teachers, work in the nursery, and bring the food for the potluck luncheons. Forget being a deacon, a minister, or any kind of active voice in the church. More recently, this has become an extremely controversial issue. More and more churches are interpreting the text presented in the collage (1 Timothy 2:11,12) in different ways. More and more women are taking on active roles in the church, some even as pastors. My intention with the collage is to help the viewer recognize the ways in which women are silenced in religion. I discovered through this process that the stories of women being silenced and submissive in the church are rampant in our society. Although there has been a shift toward progressive thought, the woman’s role in the church is often still neglected. This narrative being inspired from scripture, I realized that there is a risk in rejecting this idea of silencing women in the church, but one cannot ignore other scriptural references that do contradict what some believe the bible to be so explicit about. Galatians 3:28--"Their is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." I think the authority of males over females in the church lend to a lot of other problems outside of the church for women as well. I do believe that men have overlooked the capability and spirituality of women, but I think it is also the woman’s responsibility to stop overlooking herself, and to find a place of worship where she is free to express her spirituality.
Tarah's collage
Lori's collage
My collage tells the narrative of how women are supposed to get married. We are told to find our "one and only." Whether it is an arranged marriage or finding your own spouse, our society tells women to get married; that it is what you’re supposed to do. I show in my collage all the nice, sweet images of marriage, and then also the downside, where I have pictures of a book on How to Better Your Marriage, and a picture of a couple getting marriage counseling. I just think it’s crazy to have a need for women to feel they have to get married, when the divorce rate in our society is at its highest right now. I, myself, of course am one of those women who dreams of my special wedding day of huge pink and white flowers, 18 layered cake, big reception, etc. I of course want to marry my one and only too. I go along with the way our society has told me to, but I know that if that does not happen, I would rather be an independent woman than get married to someone just because I feel like I need to be a married woman. In my collage I am trying to show how even though women are told they are supposed to marry, and find their "one and only", it is a woman's choice if she wants to marry or not. I know many very independent women that are happy to be alone right now. If the chance comes around and they happen to find someone they love, and would love to share the rest of their life with, then that's great and they will decide upon marriage, but I don't feel women should feel the need to have to be married. Seventeen Syllables was the text that first inspired my narrative idea. Then after reading from Leaves from the Mental Portfolio of an Eurasian, I really saw this whole other idea showing how families even expect their daughters to get married, especially if the mother and sisters are. This text talked about how the world looks down upon independent, single women. I was able to get even more information and ideas from this text. We all have the capability of being independent women and I think our society needs to start thinking of marriage as a perk, not as a way of life, not what women have to do.
Sources:
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q=
http://www.98degrees.com/music/lyrics_rising_i_do.html
http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/w/wedding-planner-script-transcript-lopez.html
http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/w/wedding-date-script-transcript-messing.html
http://www.divorcereform.org/rates.html
“Seventeen Syllables”
Leaves from the Mental Portfolio of an Eurasian
Kaylene's collage
Narratives are very important in literature because they allow stories to be retold continually, which heavily influences society. I feel that, as discussed in class, narratives encourage those reading/hearing them to ibe[/i] a certain way. Some narratives are told often while some others remain hidden and/or untold. For this assignment, I chose to visually portray the “super-mom” narrative. I feel that this story does get told often, especially in the form of movies and self-help literature. These super-mom type women do it all, as I show in my narrative. They are the wives, mothers, professionals, and housekeepers (plus more) that are often over worked. Some may choose this lifestyle, while others become forced into it by unhelpful husbands. This story is not one often left untold. I feel that it is a widely shared narrative. These women are constantly busy, and usually don’t have time for themselves. My goal is to show the worth of these women. Look at all they do! I included the song title of Alicia Keys’ “A Woman’s Worth” on the left side because she really is worth so much. The super-mom types take on a lot of responsibility; no doubt, gaining a feeling of self-appreciation, but often going underappreciated by others. Sometimes I think these women want time for themselves, as shown in “Daystar.” There are multiple levels at work in this narrative: women are underappreciated for all they do, women are worth a lot (monetarily and intangibly), and need some time for themselves. I represented all of these things in my collage. The background image is a woman flying, showing she needs to ‘get away’ sometimes. That same idea can be felt in the quote from “Daystar.” The four corners show the conflicting pulls a super-mom feels. The feels pulled to the bedroom, office, kitchen, and also pulled by constraints of time. The other images show the duties women take on as super-moms. Some women have happy faces, while a few have disgruntled looks because I think super-moms feel both ways at varying times. The rest of my collage is self-explanatory. I hope that those viewing the collage get a feel for just how much a super-mom is worth. If she were to not do any of these actions, the family would recognize the difference it makes. Though this narrative is continually replayed in our society, I think sometimes a visual image can do more justice than words can.
Alicia Keys, a woman’s worth, http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/A-Woman's-Worth-lyrics-Alicia-Keys/7DBBEF594DF8E17A48256A850023540F
She wanted a little room for thinking:
but she saw diapers steaming
on the line,
A doll slumped behind the door.
So she lugged a chair behind
the garage to sit out the
children's naps
Rita Dove, “Daystar”
http://www.silveradoresort.com/html/press_photo_dnld_accom.shtml
http://www.tshirtmagic.com/products.php?DesignCount=1&DesignID=996060
http://www.wskg.com/Rental.htm
http://www.inmagine.com/pdv226/pdv226013-photo
http://www.fotosearch.com/BDX319/bxp58098/
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/what/food_and_beverages/food/1088060_woman_s_hands_kneading_dough.php?id=1088060
http://www.jupiterimages.com/itemDetail.aspx?itemID=22825889
http://www.hear-it.org/page.dsp?area=843
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/intext/Bolivia/family1.htm
http://www.fotosearch.com/DGT227/ath0030/
http://www.edrants.com/?cat=32
http://www.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_print_pages/0120-0603-1711-2523.html
http://www.painetworks.com/pages2rf/ik/ik1850.html
http://uisstc.georgetown.edu/~buchstem/september.htm
http://seekers.100megs6.com/Three-Minutes.htm
http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Council-Democracy/Elected-Representatives/becoming-a-councillor.en?page=3
http://www.fotosearch.com/SBY208/131762rke/
http://momstoday.com/resources/articles/supermom.htm
http://www.windchimewalker.net/-collected_image_files/10.4-Oct/10-25-03-mom-kids.html
Vanessa's collage
My collage is based on a serious issue in our culture today that is just recently being recognized. I focused on the issue of a girl growing up in a home with fighting parents which eventually leads to divorce and an absent father who has turned to alcohol for his escape. I tried to show the effects that this has on a girls self esteem and self respect. I want to illustrate the need for a strong man in a girl’s life for her whole life. When a girl does not have a strong father figure in her life, she will turn to other males to fill that void and will thrive off of male attention and acceptance. Before long the girl’s happiness and self worth lies solely in the amount of attention she gets from males and the amount of love and acceptance she can get from them; to obtain this attention and acceptance, the girl submits to physical relationships and never finds what she is seeking. This sometimes leads to promiscuity which leads to pregnancy in many cases, in which I provided statistics for in my collage. This narrative was inspired by Seventeen Syllables by Hisaye Yamamoto. I initially wanted to show how adult relationships affect the child’s interpretation of love. I ended up expanding on that and focusing on this more specific issue. It is also a personal issue for me. I was a young child when my parents were divorced and my self esteem really suffered as I struggled to find that love that I was missing and to fill that void my father had left. I think it is so important for people, especially men, to recognize this issue and to become active to prevent their daughters from falling into a life of pain and confusion.
Brandys Collage
My narrative collage is based the idea that many women are imprisoned in their own lives with an emphasis on domestic violence. Many women are slaves to their significant other and the reality of this in our society is hard to grasp for many. I chose to complete this collage addressing this issue because women everywhere are dealing with physical and emotional abuse on a daily basis. After reading The Trials of Girlhood by Harriet Jacobs and The Clothes Line Project I was compelled to concentrate on this harsh issue. Instead of depicting images of battered women and children, I decided to choose images of women crying and let the quotes from the text do the rest.
Sources:
http://prisonersoverseas.com/wp-content/SLAVERY.jpg
http://www.churches-together.org.uk/Women_violence_Resources/graphics/hands.jpg
http://www.wwhf.org/images/pics/tired.jpg
http://www.theyuinon.com/articles/imagesofus2/Men%20Article%201%20-%20woman%20crying%202.jpg
http://assets.families.com/Encyclopedias/iemf_01_img0037.jpg
www.clotheslineproject.org
The Oxford Book of Women’s Writing in the United States
My in-process *draft* of a collage, entitled, \"Make Me Better\"
Just as your image collages began with a single image associated with women (flowers, fire, ropes, bars, eyes), your narrative collage will spring from a narrative associated with women. By that, I don't mean a whole story that we have or haven't read, but a story, a belief in a set of actions, that is associated with women. For example, we've seen romance narratives, with their various elements (if you really love someone, you'll sacrifice everything; if you really love someone, you'll die rather than be separated from them); we've read/seen abuse narratives; tomorrow we'll be reading assimilation narratives (which tell people they need to change in order to be accepted, get ahead, etc.).
My intention in asking you to create a narrative collage is to prompt you to take apart a narrative (in particular, a narrative that involves women) that we might otherwise take for granted. The idea is to make visible elements of the story, make visible the ways a certain narrative is all too "neat." Here's a description of something the writer Annie Dillard calls "narrative collage" (from a review by Vance Bourjaily):
Depth and roundness in traditional fiction come from sequential narration with realistic detail and a point of view - often that of one of the characters - which involves us as closely as possible with the story and its people. In place of this, Miss Dillard describes a method she calls "narrative collage." Using this method, the writer creates a surface we are invited to view distantly, either because the point-of-view character is a joke - a dinosaur, a breast, a cow, an idiot, an axolotl (whatever that may be) or because the author is willing to expose himself as the artificer of the pattern. The elements exposed on the surface of the collage, sometimes startlingly but always with control, are fragments of time, fragments of narrative line, bits of character, causes separated from their effects, paradoxes and a randomness in spatial handling that deprives the work of any familiar setting and the action of any familiar context. "So," she writes, "the contemporary modernist deliberately flattens the depth elements in his art. He replaces the emotional strengths with intellectual ones."
Dillard is speaking of a writing technique, but we can adapt it for a visual medium.
Just as with your image collage, I would like you to find excerpts from written texts (including, if possible, texts that we have read) and join them with visual texts to create a collage that reveals, lays open, and potentially suggests a commentary on a cultural narrativethat has particular power in our culture. Or, to take a cue from the Clothesline Project, you might use the collage as an opportunity to tell a story that doesn't usually often get told, to give voice to a story that has no popular circulation.
My main expectation is that you use this assignment as an opportunity to explore and discover. I realize that this is somewhat vague, but that kinda goes along with exploring and discovering, yes? If you know *exactly* what to do, where's the exploring?
But because it is somewhat vague, I'm also quite ready to be flexible with the grading. I sincerely hope to give everyone a good grade. Here are some technicalities that sometimes get overlooked, and that, in being overlooked, can bring the grade down:
* submit on time (I'm happy to give a little leeway there, but within limits)
* focus (on a single narrative that concerns women, rather than on many)
* represent a general narrative that concerns women, rather than one text (a cultural narrative is a "story" that tends to support our views of ourselves, our relationships, our actions; it may be evident in a particular text, and your collage may be inspired by a single text, but please avoid focusing on simply "illustrating" ideas from one single text: look for other sites in which that same narrative gets expressed)
* offer a paragraph explaining your intention in creating the collage, what text or texts inspired it, and what you discovered through the process
* complete the circle: everyone needs to view and respond to a few other folks' collages
But, really, what I want to see is discovery, something that provoked thought in you as you were creating it and that will provoke thought in others as they view it. Here are some variations on the idea:
Collage from American literature student in NC
General information about and examples of collage
Collage Museum
Collage artist
Magazine covers
Vintage collage
Comments (39)
Vanessa Weitlich said
at 10:42 am on Jul 28, 2006
Comment on Lori's collage:
I completely agree with you in that society puts this huge pressure on women. I have thought about my wedding day and my one and only for as long as I can remember. Society sort of forces us on this life long quest to find a man to marry and causes us to be blind to so many great things as a result. I even find myself getting so impatient and wondering why I just can't find that guy and get married and get started with my life...but really...I can get started with my life whenever I choose and it doesn't matter if a man is involved or not. It's sad that women are affected in this way and have to convince themselves that they don't need a man.
marquetta said
at 10:46 am on Jul 28, 2006
For Brandy's Collage: I really like the images in your collage. The black and white tone of it really gets the point across. I also like the way you included the image of the little girl. This shows that not only does this abuse affect the women but the entire household. I think you did a wonderful job.
Vanessa Weitlich said
at 10:47 am on Jul 28, 2006
Comment of Brandy's Collage: WOW! Your collage seriously gave me chills. That quote about men being killed in war is absolutely amazing. I think it is great that you only focused on a few images and on images a lot less harsh than what you could have. I think allowing your quotes to explain really make your collage so great. This focuses on a very, very important issue and you definately did in a way that grabs your audiences attention.
megan said
at 10:48 am on Jul 28, 2006
Brandy- I too was shocked when I read the statistic from the clothesline project's website. I liked your collage- I think it got your point across and you did it without showing the disturbing images you talked about yesterday in class. Too many women I think just don't know how to get out of their abusive relationships and lives.
megan said
at 10:51 am on Jul 28, 2006
Vanessa's collage-I liked your narrative. It's very specific and something that I hadn't really thought too much about before, but makes perfect sense. Good job putting your images in a logical order and making the idea flow.
Vanessa Weitlich said
at 10:51 am on Jul 28, 2006
Kaylene's Collage: I really like how you bring light to the job of being a woman. You allow the audience to look at womanhood at many different angles. I really like how you placed the phrase "she does it all". At first I couldn't make sense of it, but then I put it together. I think it made that statement really stand out since I had to sort of piece it together and find it for myself.
megan said
at 10:54 am on Jul 28, 2006
Tarah- good job on finding the perfect quotes - they really make your collage stand out. It's very sad, but true.
marquetta said
at 10:55 am on Jul 28, 2006
Tarah- I was not ready for the images that jumped out at me. I was so shocked by your collage. I didnt want to look at it for too long because I was afraid I might start crying. It is so sad to think about what some women have to go through. Your collage is really powerful. As close friend of mine was in an abusive relationships but it never got to the point were anyone was hurt and lucky she got out before it did. I don't know what I would have done. Anyone of those women could have been my friend.
marquetta said
at 11:05 am on Jul 28, 2006
Kaylene: I like your collage because it is the complete opposite of mine. You really showed what it means to be a woman with a family. I agree with Vanessa.. i didn't get the "all that she does" at first either. I also didn't get the lady diving. What was your inspiration for that?
Tracee Miller said
at 11:08 am on Jul 28, 2006
Jenny- I don't know if this is the kind of comment I'm supposed to make but I think that part of the reasoning against women taking leadership roles in church isn't so much because Scripture says they can't; it's because men naturally command more respect than women. I won't voice my personal opinion, but I wanted to offer another explanation.
Tracee Miller said
at 11:14 am on Jul 28, 2006
Lori- Good call on your topic. I was really just wondering if you came across and cultures that didn't encourage women to be married. The thing I thought of would be cultures that allow men to marry multiple women. Sometimes I kinda think, well, at least the rules here are the same for men as they are for women. In places where men are allowed to have multiple wives, it's even more like they're just trying to put women into positions of subservience (that's a word, right?). Anyhow, I'm right there with you... I want to get married... but I definitely wouldn't if I didn't think it was going to be a kind of partnership, rather than some kind of landlord sort of deal.
Tracee Miller said
at 11:19 am on Jul 28, 2006
Brandy- When you talked in class, I was sooooo worried about looking at your collage. I think I was holding my breath when I opened it. I also think it was perfect. I really liked how you only had 2 quotes and how one wasn't necessarily a description of violence, but of the imprisonment, and then how the other was a statistic... like it was only a small piece of what really happens to women. Your images were powerful but they weren't overwhelming like I was afraid they would be.
kaylene said
at 5:35 pm on Jul 28, 2006
Stephanie: I love your collage. I know that there are a lot of similar projects out there today, but you did a great job of piecing together images that showed the conflicting mentalities in society. Your collage really hit me. Regular people are seen as sick, while celebrities are seen as healthy and 'fit'...no wonder women feel so many emotions regarding body image. Your collage showed a different twist on that narrative.
kaylene said
at 5:42 pm on Jul 28, 2006
Tracee: I think that in class I probably come off as totally feminist, but I'm not totally that way. I am completely for women’s' rights--but personally I am very domesticated. I cook for the men in my life, I clean constantly, and etc... However, I carry my own load and don't feel it necessary to have a man to 'help' me. So, that said, I really appreciate your collage. I have many typical womanly traits, but yet I have muscles and can defend myself fairly well. I like how you showed women taking on non-traditional roles and succeeding. The quotes were also key to making this collage work. I disagree, though, with the feminine woman quote. I feel that Frank O'Connor was off base with that statement. Feminine women can be pro-women’s' rights (feminist) yet themselves prefer to be domesticated.... Great collage though!
kaylene said
at 5:49 pm on Jul 28, 2006
Jenny: I almost did a similar collage! I wanted to show the Christian woman narrative...I was going to do it a bit different, though, because I had wanted to show the struggles women face defending their religion against the media and pop culture today. I like how you showed the silenced woman narrative from a Christian point of view. It is very true...women have a special place in the church, but more of the 'motherly' role. They aren't really looked to make big decisions--but rather to clean the church, cook for potlucks, but yet they could lead "woman" bible studies. I am Catholic and as a child I wanted to be a priest...but soon found out I wasn't allowed. I don't want to be anymore, but I think it is disheartening that women are shunned from certain leadership roles. I found the bible verse very important to tying your collage together. I think without it, your collage may have been hard to understand...good job putting it on there.
Jenny said
at 3:21 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Jim- I was really drawn to your collage. I really appreciated a lot of things about it. For one, I think the way you explained your reasoning for putting the pictures in the background and the quotes at the front was very powerful. I have a close female friend who just came out within the last couple of years, and it has been a learning experience, watching her go through the battle of coming to terms with who she is, and then taking a step further to make that known to other people. I think your collage was very insightful because it really helped me think about the ways in which homosexuals are discriminated against. I think it's interesting that you made the point that even though it has gotten a lot better, there is still so much hate towards homosexuals. I think the hate just comes from a fear of the unknown. People tend to fear what is unfamiliar or uncomfortable to them, and so they just push it farther and farther away, and a lot of times it turns into a vicious hate. I'm glad you chose to do your collage on this issue, because I think it's something that we need to be more comfortable in talking about, in hopes of decreasing the amount of hate and discrimination.
Jenny said
at 3:29 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Quetta- I think your collage was interesting, mainly because it was filled with pictures of men! I really liked the twist you took, showing how the narrative is so common for women, yet showing the pictures of the men. You are right in mentioning that the stories of finding Mr. Right are countless... I think looking at all of the images on your collage really helps the idea come together and emphasize this narrative being sent to women on a daily basis. I think among all women's narratives, this is one of the hardest to overcome; the idea that you have to marry someone who fits the mold, who meets the criteria that has been pounded into your head from the time you were a little girl. Very thought provoking... good job!
Jenny said
at 3:42 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Vanessa- Wow. Your collage is very powerful to look at. Visually, I really liked the way you incorporated a lot of different pictures and a lot of different words. I liked the way it wasn't really clean-cut and defined, but rather put very close together so that it could be taken in as a whole. I think the message behind it is also very important. I agree that this has just recently become something people are more aware of, but I would say that it is something that has existed for a lot longer than we realize. I think there is something innate within some females that longs for the love of a male, and when they don't receive that, they easily turn to the love of whoever is around at the time. Although this is true for some, I think it's also interesting that girls who do have a strong male figure in their lives turn to sex and other things for fulfillment. I think that lends to the idea that there is something in us that is incomplete, something that can't be filled by any kind of human love, whether it be healthy or not. When I was looking at your collage, I was reminded of the song "Daughters" by John Mayer. It's true... "fathers be good to your daughters... daughters will live like you do."
Tarah said
at 9:29 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Jamie-I think that your collage is really about a common topic in today's society. I think that the picture that really stood out to me, is the officer taking the little boy from the parents. I feel like when parents get divorced, sometimes they are so wrapped up into what is going on with each other, that sometimes they overlook how it effects the children. I think it is something that really should be addressed, and I think you did a good job. I really liked the wedding rings in the middle of your picture, I thought they provided a good center for your collage visually, but it is funny, because wedding rings are also good centers literally too. They represent something that is suppossed to be solid.
Tarah said
at 9:33 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Brandy-My collage is also like yours, it focuses on domestic violence. I think that it is an important issue to address and so many people overlook it. The little girl holding her knees gave me chills. Again, I think that these issues are so hard for the women that they happen to, but wow, how horrible the kids must feel!
Tarah said
at 9:40 pm on Jul 30, 2006
Jim-Your collage really grabbed my attention. I haven't really taken the time to think about how hard it would be to come out, and tell people something when the reaction can be so harsh. Your collage really brought that to my attention, I felt like I learned something from your collage. These women don't just face stress when coming out, they still have to deal with it when they go out to the store together or to a movie. I have been places where a lesbian couple is minding their own business and some red-neck hick screams out some offensive phrase. You really reminded me of how lesbians have such a hard time telling people who they are, and how the public reacts so hastily towards them!
lori said
at 2:15 am on Jul 31, 2006
Vanessa- Your collage really stood out to me. I thought you did a great job organizing all the words and pictures together. I really had to look a while to take it all in. I think this is a very important issue today. My best friend from home's parents divorced when she was only 5 years old, and he turned to alcohol, and never saw her but maybe once a year. It killed me inside to see her live without a father for so long. She was my neighbor as well, and a bunch of the girls in my neighborhood did a dad and daughter camping trip that she never had a father for, and I always felt so bad. I think it's really important for girls to have father figures growing up, and I agree that girls will turn to other males to fill that role.
Meegan said
at 7:48 am on Jul 31, 2006
Jamie,
I really liked your collage. I thought it showed your intent very well. Divorce is all too common these days and marriages seems to fall apart so easily. The images you chose were great and made an impact. Good job!
Meegan said
at 7:53 am on Jul 31, 2006
Quetta,
I enjoyed your collage but more for the fact that is depicts men in such a way that I don't feel women are depicted. Images of women are often more sexual, glamorous, and all about her looks. On the other hand, it seems men are shown as strong, powerful, rich, the hero, etc. I thought your images were good and layed out well.
Meegan said
at 7:57 am on Jul 31, 2006
Jim,
Your collage was very moving and really stood out. It was hard to read those passages you put in your narrative. It just makes me sick that people can be so cruel and close minded. It was heart breaking to read some of those passages, especially the one about the nurse who was fired after revealing her sexual orientation and then not allowed to care for her partner because she wasn't family. It just made my stomach turn and my heart go out to that woman. I thought your collage was powerful and thought provoking.
Lori said
at 8:52 am on Jul 31, 2006
Stefanie- I really liked your collage because I agree that women do focus on being skinny and are pressured to look unrealistic. Two of my childhood friends developed eating disorders in junior high, and both were hospitilized for it. It's hard to deal with the pressures of being skinny, especially if you may be healthy, but not stick skinny like the models look. Once you start to get crazy over being skinny like two of my friends did, it sort of sticks with you forever. They both are fine now, and were able to be treated, but still say how it does stick with them forever and they do think about their weight a lot still. I just think it's really sad that our society praises these celebrities for their unrealistic looks, and make it out that the ideal is for women to have skinny figures, not healthy ones! I really liked your quote about Barbie; it's really true too! Most celebrities are airbrushed anyway where we see them, so it's nto even realistic how they look.
Lori said
at 9:05 am on Jul 31, 2006
Jim- Your collage stood out as really powerful to me. I havent't even took the time to realize how hard it must be for women who are just coming out. I can't believe how much people care, and look down on women for such a cruel reason. I really thoght you did a great job hiding all the good happy parts of your collage and putting the discriminating ones in front. I really can't believe how cruel people are and how discriminating they can be toward lesbians, and your quotes were able to show me that. The one about the nurse really stuck out with me and just made me so upset, I am still in shock.
Anonymous said
at 11:55 am on Jul 31, 2006
Jamie-
I really thought your collage was great. I liked the idea of the rings in the middle, and then the images around that breaking it up. I agree, it seems like marriage is not taken as serious as it once was. The pictures of one spouse being at the feet of the other was really creative. With women becoming more dominate in the work force and fewer women living the stay at home mom role, there does seem to be a power struggle happening between husband and wives.
Anonymous said
at 12:00 pm on Jul 31, 2006
Stephanie-
Your collage is actually really hard to look at. The pictures at the bottom are so sad. We studied eating disorders in one of my health classes I had to take last semester...the statistics about how many girls struggle with this is insane. I agree that it is a much larger problem for women than for men...it seems like all the media attention of having that perfect body and look is more focused to women. Your images really sent out a strong message!
Anonymous said
at 12:05 pm on Jul 31, 2006
Brandy-
I really liked your collage...it was simple but really said a lot. The quotes really added a lot to the meaning also. It is sad how many women are abused and how many children have to sit and watch it all happen. I think also you said something in class about doing it in all black and white...I think that really did add to the somberness of the subject.
caylen said
at 2:42 pm on Jul 31, 2006
Vickie- I agree completely with your collage. I think its so ridiculous how every woman is expected to grow up according to the same plan. It completely contradicts the messages of independence and individuality that so many people also believe in. You captured your message really well!
caylen said
at 2:47 pm on Jul 31, 2006
Jamie- Your collage was really neat. I agree with you, divorce is like the new break up. So many people get married with the idea in mind that if things dont go well, they can just get divorced. I liked how you put those rings in the center of the collage, it was a really good visual way to send your message.
caylen said
at 2:51 pm on Jul 31, 2006
Quetta- I liked how you made your collage in the viewpoint of a man. It was a good twist on the project. The image of prince charming was neat because before the days of Cosmo and Glamour magazines, the prince charming stories drilled the same concepts into young girls minds.
Jim Holmes said
at 9:38 pm on Aug 1, 2006
Jamie-Your collage stands out to be because it has become such a common theme. If we do not have divorced parents, we atleast have friends with divorced parents, and this can be debated for the good or bad. The debate over what a marriage should be has been very newsworthy in the past few years because of the gay-marriage debate, but I think the debate over what marriage is started a long time ago, and if we look back on our history, we can see how marriage has evolved. It's not easy on anyone when a marriage dissolves (except maybe those couples that drunkenly marry in vegas) and I think your collage does a good job in showing that.
Jim Holmes said
at 9:47 pm on Aug 1, 2006
Tracee--I really like your collage not only for the message but because it is very well put together and visually tells its story. I love the idea of genderbending and how it can be inpowering. We have these ideas of what roles men and women are supposed to fill, and I find it sad that when women (or men) step out of these bounds, rumors fly that they are gay (and sadly to a majority of people that is still considered derogatory). I like that you collage leaves the idea very open, allowing for questioning. Is this type of behavior good or bad for womens rights? CAn it go to far? Or should there be no gender specific roles?
Jim Holmes said
at 9:56 pm on Aug 1, 2006
Jenny--Your collage struck me very strongly and close to home. I was raised United Pentecostal where women can't cut their hair, wear makeup, can only wear dresses (preferibly long and with sleeves) and up until recently could not wear open-toes shoes or anything red. I have heard it preached many times that women were supposed to be submissive to their husband--their father is their master until marriage, and the husband afterward. My grandmother was never allowed to work until my grandpa died. Things have started to change, and some women are beginning to take larger roles in the church, but the dress standards still stand, and as long as these gender biased roles still stand, women will always be seen as inferior in the church.
brandy said
at 10:32 am on Aug 2, 2006
Kaylene-Your collage was really powerful to me because as you know I could definitely relate to the idea of being a mother. Your collage gave a great depiction of all of the different "duties" a mother does on a daily basis. Mother's need room for thinking as you mentioned...but its hard when there are many different things to be done first like the images you chose. Great..I really liked it.
brandy said
at 10:38 am on Aug 2, 2006
Tarah--Your collage was very emotionally and dipicted the harsh reality of violence against women. You were definitely more brave than I was on the images you chose and I compliment you on that. The pictures of those women are horrible, but you chose them well and the point of your collage could have been understood by all. Nice job...very powerful.
brandy said
at 10:44 am on Aug 2, 2006
Lori--Your collage gives the perfect portrayl of women and marriage and whats "acceptable in society." Why is it that still women feel that they have to be married in order to feel true happiness. The divorce rate is so high in our country..and this is a shame that people are still rushing to the alter. My fiance and I have been together for almost eight years and still we are not planning a date until the rest of our lives fall into place...college degrees, stable jobs etc. Women are rushed by many people around them..family, friends, society etc. I can tell you that I definitely relate to your collage first hand. Its great...nice depiction.
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