Art - A Culturally Constructed Myth :: American Culture Essays

Art - A Culturally Constructed Myth The development of semiotics in the 20th century revealed much about ideology in mass culture. Structuralist Roland Barthes' texts on the matter are very much products of their times, yet many still have a troubling modern-day relevance. Barthes' Mythologies demonstrates the possibilty to find meaning through the 'trivia' of everyday life. He claims to want to challenge the 'innoncence' and 'naturalness' of cultural texts and practices, as they are capable of producing a multitude of supplementary meanings, or 'connotations'. Although objects, gestures and practices have a certain utilitarian function, they are not resistant to the imposition of meaning. Barthes wants to suspend consideration of function, and concentrate rather on what things mean and how they function as signs. Mythologies is a study of the ways in which mass culture constructs this mythological reality and encourages conformity to its own values. Barthes' analysis of signs reveals that there are very few 'innoncent' objects, that almost everything is 'coded' (assigned meaning). Barthes arrives at this conclusion based on his theory of myth: that a form (expanded from Saussure's sound-image, which was limited to linguistics) and a concept create mythologies: sign systems that render one dominant meaning (or 'signification'). For the receiver, this signification arrives automatically and smoothly, thus seemingly denying the intentional re-coding. Barthes believes that this constant creation of myth is how a culture invents its beliefs and narratives, and is able to find meaning in the world. This premise draws a particular parallel in our contemporary society: for it is my hypothesis that our culture now locates meaning through mythological art (whether fine, commercial, popular, industrial etc.). Has art truly become myth? In order to 'read' or deconstruct myth, Barthes suggests, one must (1) accept the myth as a cultural construction, thus emptying its meaning; (2) rear the myth as full, identifying all possible signs and significations; and finally (3) recognize the signifier as both empty and full, capable of signifying many things, yet with only one clear, dominant meaning. It is my argument that such a deconstruction can render art as myth. Having realized art as a structured cultural phenomenon, and having emptied its direct and apparent meaning, it is possible to identify all its possible significations. Interestingly enough, I find that art reveals many diametrically opposed significations: expression and oppression, bias and acceptance, individual and society, creativity and confinement, and freedom and convention, among others. Art signifies the de-politicization of our culture, for even the most political of pieces cease to cause a stir among the masses.

Ghost Story of Split Rock Road :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Split Rock Road This tale was told by a twenty-year-old Caucasian male from Boonton, New Jersey, who was very excited to share his paranormal experiences. According to the narrator, Split Rock Road runs through a nice residential neighborhood. However, at one point the pavement stops and turns to gravel. At this point, there are no lights on the road, which is surrounded by woods. As you continue down the road, you come to a bridge on top of a dam and an abandoned guard tower. Legend has it that if you turn off your headlights and stop the car while on the bridge, everyone in the car dies. The narrator attempted this once with his friends late at night. He managed to turn off the headlights and stop the car, but all of his friends started screaming and begging him to go back, so he left very quickly. He said that it was one of the scariest experiences of his life. Additionally, there is rumored to be a ghost that wanders on Split Rock Road, a young girl in a white sundress. However, the narrator ha d never personally seen this ghost. Split Rock Road is a notoriously creepy place in New Jersey, with references on both the â€Å"Weird New Jersey† website and the â€Å"Lost Destinations† website. While neither site directly states that if you turn off your headlights and stop the car that you will die, the â€Å"Lost Destinations† site mentions the urban legend that if you try to drive across the bridge at night, gangs will block the exits on either side and trap you in. Additionally, while there is no specific mention of a girl in a white sundress, there are rumors that the bridge is haunted by drowning victims, mostly teenagers who get sucked into the underwater drain and smash into the concrete â€Å"waterfall† on the other side. Both sites also mention practices of the occult allegedly performed on Split Rock Road; the â€Å"Lost Destinations† site describes piles of bones and structures shaped like furnaces that are supposedly haunted by ghosts late at night. Similar furnaces can be found on Clinton road, another creepy spot in New Jersey. The primary scary feature of the story is the concept that doing something as innocent as stopping a car can cause death. Death is something that most people fear, or wish not to encounter until they feel that they have lived their lives to the fullest.

Of Mice and Men – the American Dream

According to Dictionary. com, the American Dream is defined as â€Å"The ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American; a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U. S (American Dream). † But everyone’s idea of the American dream is an altered version of this idea whether it meant being independent or becoming richer. In the book Of Mice and Men, many characters try and pursue the life consisting of the American dream, and in the end, all of their work was in vain.At one of the ranches that George and Lennie go to, they meet a man named Candy, who is an old ranch handyman, who is starting to think that the boss will soon fire him because of his old age and disabilities. One day, he over hears George and Lennie talking about their ‘American Dream. ’ â€Å"S’pose I went in with you guys†¦ I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some† (Steinbeck, pg 59). Although he knows that he isn’t that useful, he hopes that George and Lennie will accept his offering and let him have a piece of their dream.After Candy finds out about Lennie killing Curley’s wife, he knows that his dream had just become more impossible. Crooks, the black stableman, is another character that has a dream. â€Å"I remember when I was a little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there. Used to sleep right in the same room, right in the same bed- all three. Had a strawberry patch. Had an alfalfa patch† (Steinbeck, pg 73). He wanted what his old man had: a ranch, family, and independency.He also asked George if he could be apart of their ranch†¦ which later we find out that he later told George to forget about it because he knew that in the end, it wouldn’t have worked out. Curley’s Wife is another individual who o nce had a dream. One day she was talking with Lennie and how she almost fulfilled that dream. â€Å"Well, a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show†¦ ‘Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in pitchers. Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it†¦ I never got that letter†¦ I always thought my ol’ lady stole it†¦ so I married Curley. Met him out to the Riverside Dance Palace the same night† (Steinbeck, pg 88). She clearly had a dream consisting of fame and fortune. After that dream was crushed by her mother, she followed up with her back up plan to get hitched. It didn’t work out so great, if you ask me. According to Steinbeck, it was nearly impossible, if not, impossible, to achieve the American dream. Anyone who tried to do so was doing it in vain.After we see each character describe his/her dream, we see someone/something that gets in the way and prevents that certain dream from turning into a reality. So, according to Steinbeck, pursuing the American Dream is to vain as an infant is to hard labor, each being impossible. ————————————————- Work Cited â€Å"American Dream. † Dictionary. com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 01 Mar. 2012. . Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. A Penguin Book Literature, Print.

The Diary of Lady Murasaki Reflection

The Diary of Lady Murasaki, gives the reader a glimpse of the imperial court during eleventh century Japan. Being an attendant in the imperial court, Murasaki is frequently involved with the activities of elite. As a woman, Lady Murasaki's descriptions are oriented around clothing, appearance, and the position of woman in Heian Japan. Lady Murasaki was the most educated woman in the court. She acknowledges learning the Chinese classics from listening to her brother’s lessons.She cautiously expressed for discretion in regards to her knowledge, since education was restricted for women due to the prejudices against women in the Buddhist convictions. Murasaki kept a personal diary, and spent her days filling it with notes from the daily activities of the court. I was a form of entertainment for Murasaki due to the lack of â€Å"excitement† in the court. The notes were almost making a mockery of the court and their way of life. She talked a lot about women and their role dur ing the time period in Japan. There wasn’t much going on inside the imperial court.The ladies-in-waiting spent there days engaged in gossip they had no other real responsibilities. The woman of the court wore lavish colorful garments. There were very strict rules on what colors the women were allowed to wear. For example, only woman from a certain rank were allowed to wear yellow-green or red, but it was restricted to only jackets, figured silk and printed trains. Only on special occasions, like the birth of a prince, were all ranks dressed in white. The woman also had very long luxurious hair. This was also a sign of rank in the imperial court.The way Lady Murasaki describes the women of the court, it seems that their true position was to serve as the eye candy. They weren’t educated, except for a small number of them, and they didn’t have any real power in the dynasty. During this time women faced severe isolation with limited education. Women in the Heian per iod were defined by restrictions of what was not permitted. Custom influenced by Buddhism, enforced strict physical limitations on women, not to be seen by men and sometimes even other women. It seems like more of a hassle to have women present in the court then not.Without women in the court there wouldn’t be children. Without children, there wouldn’t be any heirs to the throne. Lady Murasaki diary gave third party view in the life of the imperial court. The priorities of the women were more focused on appearance rather then education because of the Buddhist convictions. Even thought the women were held at different ranks in the court they all had the main purpose of keeping the dynasty alive via childbirth. Due to the advance in Murasaki’s education, her writings gave way to the beginning of education for women in Japan.

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay

A) Explain why the invasion of the USSR changed the lives of those living in Germany around 1941-42. (12 Marks) The invasion of the USSR in the summer months was that of great confidence and assertiveness that they were on the ‘front foot’ from the German people. During these summer months, the Russians had been pushed back by the Germans to what many thought of as the core of the USSR; Russia. Obviously when the Germans had advanced 20 miles short of the central of the most powerful enemy they’ve faced yet, the German people had a right to be happy with their recent progress in the war. This changed their lives by giving them more confidence in that they felt they could defeat the Russians as they were pushing them back towards the capital. However, after the winter set in the attitude of the German people to the progress being made in the war changed. Before the war the Germans had demolished smaller countries such as France and Poland, meaning that the German people felt that losing was almost alien to them. But when the Russians kicked back against the Germans on the Eastern Front on December 5th 1941 outside of Moscow, the German retreat began. More and more soldiers fell, and the Germans were never able to recover the ground that they had lost. Due to the soldiers diminishing, letters had to be written back to rural Germany to notify those whom had relatives/friends in the war. When the letters started to come thick and fast, the German people now had a hint of doubt in their mind. I like to think of it as a seed that was planted- the plantation is from the initial invasion of the USSR, and when more and more letters and stories came back from the Russian lines the tree grew. Eventually, the doubt that was once a seed at the start of the invasion of Russia, had now fully flourished into a vast tree of doubt, showing us how the German lives had changed through doubt and anxiety that gradually built up through the invasion of Russia, from going and destroying France and Poland to being pushed back from the Russians. Some historians could say that the battle of Stalingrad had the biggest effect of the German people around 1941. I would say that it was the turning point in the entire war, as it caused the realization from the German people that they were not going to win the war. This contrasts to before the war, where, as said, the German people didn’t have many qualms about minor losses because they believed they knew they were going to win in the first pl ace. However during Stalingrad this changed; where a quarter million Germans were surrounded, field marshaled, and eventually forced to surrender- this continued on to 1942 where the German soldiers were freezing, and running low on ammunition. The news of this was tried to be kept ‘under wraps’ by some of the hierarchy in the German army, as it would prove low for morale. However the word spread through the press and a flurry of letters of death being sent home. This fully confirmed to the German citizens that the Germans were now on the ‘back foot’ changing their lives, as they now had to be preparing for a loss, instead of a victory. Although it is not directly coherent to the invasion of the USSR, it could be said that the bombings that partly came about from the invasion of Russia changed the lifestyles and actions of the German people. Before the bombings, William L Shirer reported â€Å"The atmosphere was so peaceful and calm. The bathing beach at Wannsee jammed with thousands. Hundreds of sailboats and canoes on the Havel. Families picnicking under the trees† this tells us that the German people were once not bothered as much by the war, and it continued to be ‘business as usual’ for the German citizens. I can contrast this when the bombings continued to develop on 16th and 17th of January 1943. The German people were now saying that the â€Å"English are clearly superior in the air, and that the German Luftwaffe is ‘impotent’ at the moment and has no possibility of retaliating appropriately† I think that this is a perfect example of the change from the Germans being confident and carrying on with their ‘normal day’ to then beginning to doubt the German superiority in the war, showing us how much their attitude has changed from pride to dread in a matter of three years. Even though the bombings weren’t as connected to the Germans invading Russia, it could be said that had not the Germans invaded Russia then the bombings may not have been present/ been less relentless.

Did the Indian Mutiny of 1857 Create the British Raj?

Did the Indian Mutiny of 1857 create the British Raj? The Indian Rebellion of 1857, which was also called the Indian Mutiny, or the War of Independence was a turning point in the history of Britain in India. However, whether this lead to the formation of the British Raj, will be explicitly explored in this essay. The East India Company traded in cotton, silk, tea and opium. They won over Bengal after gaining victory in the Battle of Plassey in 1757, under Robert Clive.The East India Company functioned as the military authority in growing sections of India, as well. By 1770, heavy taxation and other policies had left millions of Bengalis deprived. While British soldiers and traders made their fortunes, the Indians starved. Between 1770 and 1773, about 1/3 of the population died from famine. At this time, Indians also were barred from high office in their own land, which meant people like Robert Clive had more opportunities and privileges. The British considered them inherently corrupt and untrustworthy.The Company began to vigorously expand its area of control in India, making it easier for young aristocrats from Britain to exploit its potential. The British felt there were two positive economic benefits provided by the India. It was a captive market for British goods and services, and served defence needs by maintaining a large standing army at no cost to the British taxpayer. Amongst these benefits were the large scale capital investments in railways, canals and irrigation works, shipping and mining; the commercialisation of agriculture and the establishment of an education system in English.This emphasised law and order creating suitable conditions for the growth of industry and enterprise; and the integration of India into the world economy. Conversely, the British Raj are criticised for leaving Indians poorer and more prone to devastating famines; exhorting high taxation in cash from penniless people. Also, draining Indian revenues to pay for an army beyond India's own defence needs and servicing a huge debt. This was the result of the economic power left in British hands. In 1784, the Board of Control was established, this gave British Parliament he right to oversee all aspects of the East India Company. The Governor General managed the Board of Control, he was was appointed by the British Government, this meant that the British had control over the east India Company, giving them the power to impose restrictions on certain prospects. There was a great deal of racial distrust between the British and Indians living in India at the time of the British Raj. Moreover, many Indians despised the English, they felt that they were only concerned about their own Industrial Growth this made them uneasy with the new ‘Alien Rule'.Many were unhappy with the rapid cultural changes imposed by the British. They worried that Hindu and Muslim would be ‘Christianized', mainly by the missionaries. There is some truth to these statement, but there were a number of other underlying causes for the rebellion. The Indian soldiers were believed to be under a ‘double rule', both a military and religious rule, which meant the two often came into conflict, causing them vast problems. One of these problem was the cause of The Great Rebellion.The main reason the Indian Sepoys mutinied against their British commanders was because they had heard that the newly issued rifle cartridges were greased with pig and cow fat, making them unacceptable for both Hindu and Muslim soldiers. This led to a monumental outbreak, as the Muslims and Hindus rebelled ceaselessly. What started as a small conflicting group of Indian soldiers from a single regiment, soon expanded to a vast number of Indian Sepoys fighting for their integrity and freedom.Following the Indian Mutiny, the East India Company was abolished by Act of Parliament and the British crown assumed full rule of India. The British used violence and negotiation to put an end to the Uprising, resorting to merciless tactics to restore order. This created resentment, opportunity for revenge and long-term problems. They used fear to breed control, which was very disorderly. The British dispatched more troops to India and eventually succeeded in putting down the mutiny. Many sepoys who had surrendered were executed by British troops.To ensure that British rule could never be threatened in such a way again the Indian Army was reorganised so that it needed its British components to function effectively. Alternatively, the British should have dealt with this issue in a more political and diplomatic way, instead of as an act of vengeance. The conflicts of 1857 and 1858 were brutal and bloody, The bitter legacy of murder and mutilation of atrocities committed by both sides circulated in newspapers and illustrated magazines in Britain, poisoning relationships for decades.The Government of India act 1935 gave Indian provinces more independence. For the first time direct elections were introduced and the right to vote was increased from seven million to thirty-five million. The British government never actually intended to take control of India, but when British interests were threatened the government had to step in. The embodiment of the new British rule in India was the office of the Viceroy. British rule from the time after the mutiny is often called the Raj.During this period small amount of British officials and troops (about 20,000) ruled over 300 million Indians. This was often seen as evidence that most Indians accepted and even approved of British rule. Undoubtedly, Britain could not have controlled India without the co-operation of Indian princes and local leaders, as well as huge numbers of Indian troops and many others. Moreover, British rule of India was maintained by the fact that Indian society was so divided that it could not unite against the British.In fact, the British encouraged these divisions. The British embarked on a furious policy of â€Å"Divide and Rule†, fomenting religious hatred as never before. The better-off classes were educated in English schools. They served in the British army or in the civil service. They effectively joined the British to rule their poorer fellow Indians. For much of the 1800s the average Indian peasant had no more say in the way they were ruled than did the average worker in the United Kingdom.The British view tended to portray British rule as a charitable exercise – they suffered India's environment (climate, diseases) and in return they bought India a good government and economic development (railways, irrigation, medicine). On the other hand, Ruling India brought huge benefits to Britain. India's huge population made it an attractive market for British industry. In the 1880s, about 20% of Britain's total exports went to India. By 1910 these exports were worth ? 137 million.India also exported huge quantities of goods to Britain, especially tea, which was drunk or exported on from Britain to other countries. Then there were the human resources. The Indian army was probably Britain's single greatest resource. Around 40% of India's wealth was spent on the army. This army was used by Britain all over the world, including the First and Second World Wars. It was the backbone of the power of the British empire. In 1901, the British viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, said ‘As long as we rule India, we are the greatest power in the world.If we lose it we shall straight-away drop to a third rate power'. Overall, I have a mixed opinion on whether that Indian Mutiny of 1857 did actually create the British Raj. They used the same tactics the East India Company used, divide and conquer. They broke India up into small kingdoms and put a native Raj in power over that Kingdom. In this way no Raj had enough power to challenge British Rule. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the Indian Mutiny did in fact contribute towards strengthening t he British Raj, yet did not ultimately create it.

CS Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CS - Coursework Example Chapter 1 of Neubauer and Fradella’s book examines the controversy in courts and crime that is brought about by change. The controversy in courts and crime is also atrributable to the extensive attention to law by the media. This extensive media attention on courts and crime has its merits and shortcomings. Neubauer and Fradella argue that, media coverage of fictitous and real trials offers a suggestions that the oucome of decisions in courts is influenced by people’s actions, law as it is-by the books-, and law in controversy (5). This clearly helps illustrate how dynamic courts and the criminal justice system is dynamic. This book offers a substantial argument that, the U.S criminal justice system is heavily dependent on the courts, which, arguably play a pivotal role. Court decisions, actions, and process affect or have important consequences on the other components-the police and corrections personnel-of the criminal justice system (8). Likewise, the actions and operations of the corrections department and law enforcement have important consequences on the judiciary. Despite this obvious i nterdependence of these compononents of the criminal justice system, Neubauer and Fradella, concede and argue that, conflicts and tensions exist. Reading Chapter 1 of America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System, gives one a sense of how or what it is like to be an actor of the court-a prosecutor, juror, judge or a defense attorney. This makes it easy for a lay man to understand the process and role in brininging a case throught the court system. The approach by the authors of trying to illustrate fictious or dramatical court proceedings, as well as real court proceedings makes it easy for peopele to understand the criminal justice system from a common or popular perspective. Stepping into Chapter 2 of America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System book helps the readers understand the key elements that define