M 18-Jan No Classes—Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- optional reading (highly relevant, potentially helpful for blogging):
“How Conceptual Metaphors are Stunting Web Innovation“ by Venkatesh Rao. 13-Jan 2010.
W 20-Jan Internet Invention Chapter 2 (43-68): “Image”
- plus Caitlin Fisher, These Waves of Girls (2001)
R 21-Jan (E1-E3) Discuss: Fisher; Wabi-Sabi, “Attunement,” “Illumination” (Ulmer)
- Screening: The Virgin Suicides (Dir. Coppola, 1999; 97 min.)
F 22-Jan Due: Exercise 1 Assignment (“Obtuse Meanings” & “Illumination”) — prompt below
Pages on Ulmer’s supplementary site for Chapter 2:
Can you meet Period 11 (6:15pm) on Thurs?
- Yes (79%, 15 Votes)
- No (21%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 19
Loading ...Exercise 1
Due: 22-Jan (posted on blog by 6pm); 500 words min.; 10 points
- — Note: total word count; answer both prompts.
Part I: “Obtuse Meanings” ( see prompt p. 46; 150-200 words)
- — Note: select one photograph to discuss, which strikes you with its particular detail (review Barthes); briefly describe the “punctum” and “obtuse” (third) meaning. Use this understanding to define a word in the style of Leiris (cf. p. 45-6); this can be the standard length of a dictionary entry, (but in the style of Ulmer).
Part II: “Illumination” ( see prompt p. 63-4; ~300 words)
- — Note: the form and style of the scene are the crucial parameters, (need not worry about the “magnitude” of the insight). Review examples by Genet, Blanchot, and Ulmer.
Remember the importance of “sensory details of setting, props, people, event” in your
description.
General Notes (all exercise assignments)
Review general “reading response” assignment criteria (expectations and evaluation) from syllabus.
In addition to what I have cautioned to avoid, consider these stylistic tips as you write: thoughtful contemplation of the prompts will be apparent by your specificity, both in details and language. Use concrete and vivid description; write precisely and concisely, (the brevity of the assignment is deliberate). This does not mean to limit your response arbitrarily by word count (i.e. “OK I’ve hit the minimum, I’ll stop even though this passage is incomplete” etc). Likewise, one could write 2000 words on just one prompt from Internet Invention, but this would miss the point.
Feel free to exceed the minimum word requirement, but avoid repetition, excess summary, “slow” narration, tangents, unnecessary discussion, overly-general contexts, arguments of opinions and the like. Remember, “haiku reason” and composition: deliberate statements and economy of phrasing are highly effective, as in all writing situations.
(more coming soon, if necessary;
I will post replies to email inquires if relevant/helpful to entire class.)
La Chua mood
