Assignment #64

September 16, 2007

Sisters Isabel, 23, and Vanessa Di Ceglie, 19, were both in a car accident which collided with a transport truck, in Caledon. Vanessa died on impact and Isabel died two days later just two days after her 23rd birthday.
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_14787.aspx

September 19th, 2007
Yannick Nordengen, a cadet, age 20, of Montreal, passed away on the 18th of September from Lymphoma.





September 25, 2007

Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, 24, died Monday in a mortar attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan for fighting with Taliban insurgents.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/2007/09/25/4524533-cp.html

James Brook, 54, of Toronto was killed on Monday when a truck ran into three vans and a SUV on Highway 427.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/09/25/4525111-sun.html

For me personally, doing the assignment on obituaries from Miranda July’s website was a tad interesting for me. I was amazed at actually how many people die everyday in our world from various causes. I realized that the many that did pass away were also very young, they were people who had not gotten the chance to live life yet, for them it was just starting and suddenly they were taken away and now are angels of God. It freaks me out that the young ones who did die the majority of the time it was in a car accident. I find it pretty unfair that their life ended because they themselves or someone was recklessly driving and hit them. Nobody seems to understand that driving is extremely dangerous and can cost people’s lives. It hit a little close to home hearing about the two sisters especially, since a little over a year ago a girl I went to high school with had died in a car crash coming home from the beach. And even about that young teenage boy in R.D.P. who passed away this summer from reckless driving. Reading about the stories of how these people lost their lives whether it was saving our country, trying to save them and being strong through a sickness or just plain and simple driving recklessly is it very hard to grasp and take in.
I think Miranda July’s website is actually pretty interesting. I don’t think anyone would just want to write about people’s deaths around the world or take a picture of two strangers holding hands. It’s just not something we tend to think of doing or actually do in our everyday life. I think her assignments make us think about what goes on around us, things that perhaps we should pay closer attention to and perhaps take a stand and do something about it whether it happens in our own area or not. Taking pictures, drawing or just writing about a topic are all forms of art, they are a different way of expressing ourselves, of expressing what is around us, what goes on in the world. Instead of just taking about art we could express how we feel in various ways.

Some Thoughts on Authors' Perceptions of Their Roles and Their Work

We've talked about some of the ways that "the collapse of the 4th wall" shows a persona of an author engaging in the process of writing.

Taking about postmodernism in an interview, Dave Eggers has said:

"I've always been interested in the form itself, so I always feel like I've never been good at going ahead with the artifice and not acknowledging the self in the artistic process, and not acknowledging the absurdity of pretending that's required in fiction. I always had a hard time with fiction. It does feel like driving a car in a clown suit. You're going somewhere, but you're in costume, and you're not really fooling anybody. You're the guy in costume, and everybody's supposed to forget that and go along with you. Obviously, it can work, it works all the time—well, it doesn't always work. Still, no matter what, I'm always looking at the form and addressing it, not ignoring it."

Where do we see similar types of comments from Kurt Vonnegut about his work in the preface to Breakfast of Champions?

Check out what one of Vonnegut's daughters, Edie, wrote about him on Vonnegut's official website after he died:

"I never expected Kurt to actually die. He was supposed to break the code and live forever. I’m pretty disillusioned right now. When I was very young, like 12, I went to his study to ask him for answers to this world. He said he didn’t know any more than I did and that he was experiencing everything I was at the very same time. I think it was during the Cuban missile crisis and I was scared. He said he didn’t have a clue. From there on out I regarded him as a fellow clueless comrade who had no extra advantage or wisdom above me. He pulled no rank as ‘Father’ and for that I am eternally grateful.

Though he was the smartest man I ever met and I am rather limited.

Even so he made me feel equal at a very early age and taught me to question authority where ever I found it."

How does this anecdote about the Cuban missile crisis match up with the persona that Vonnegut constructs of himself in his writing? How do you think some of the other details from Vonnegut's life (read the Rolling Stone article in your course pack) influenced his outlook or his writing style?

Assignment #42

List five events from 1994

As I was not born yet in 1984, I had to slightly modify the assignment. Instead of listing five events from 1984, I chose five things that happened during the year of 1994. I was about 5 years old back then.

1.I saw the movie Jurassic Park for the first time.
2.I started kindergarten at Ecole Les Moussaillons de Saint-Honore de Temiscouata.
3.I got my first video game console for Christmas (SNES or Super Nintendo).
4.I got my first video game for my birthday (Donkey Kong Country).
5.I read my first newspaper.

In order to make sure that all these events really happened during the year of 1994 I had to consult several sources. First of all, the movie Jurassic Park came out in 1993. The VHS version of the movie came out the next year. I got this information off the internet. For the second element, it was a bit harder, since I was having a hard time finding my kindergarten grades report. When I finally found it (the pages were yellow from a long shelf-life and smelt) I looked at the date at the top left corner and concluded that it was in 1994. The third element was the easiest to conclude, because the SNES came out around the same year as Jurassic Park (a bit earlier I think). According to Wikipedia, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System came out in America in 1992. I did not get it that year, because it was a bit expensive upon the initial release and I was too young (3 years old). Not only did I get my first video game in 1994, but the game itself was made the same year. The video game was for my Super Nintendo which I had gotten two days earlier. To validate the date of the release of the game, I simply googled for “Donkey Kong Country” and quickly found the year it came out. I used a different source to prove the accuracy of my my last element. I was not sure at first whether I had read my first newspaper at 5 or 6, so I decided to ask my mother, who still has the original newspaper.

As cited on Wikipedia: “Art refers to a diverse range of human activities and artifacts”. Humans use their imagination to create things. In my opinion, Art is a means of expressing oneself. As we have learnt in class, there are many forms of arts. Art has many genres, forms, and styles. On artist Miranda July's assignment website, most of the assignments are art since we are asked to either draw or write something. Some others ask you to actually build things. We can relate some of the assignments to postmodernism for several reasons. For instance, assignment #51 asks you to make a paper replica of your bed. Another good example is the assignment which is about giving yourself an advice in the past. This is a postmodern idea, for it is not part of modern art nor any other form of art. To conclude, most of the assignments are about art since we have to use our imagination. The website is also a kind of museum or a display of works of other people.

Assignment # 11 [ Photograph a scar and write about it ]

1. Which one of Miranda Julys assignment did you choose to work on?!

I decided to work on assignment 11. The assignment consisted of taking a photograph of a scar; either one that was found on my body or off someone else’s body. I had to take a close up picture of the scar and retell the story of and how the person got their scar.
The story: The person that I have chosen to talk about is Amanda; she is my friend’s sister. When Amanda was 4 years old she ran from the kitchen to the living room. The kitchen and living room are connected together by a single marble step. While Amanda was running she did not notice that one of her toys was in front of the step, tripping over the toy Amanda hit her head against the marble step. Amanda’s parents rushed her to the hospital and she was given 4 stitches. Amanda is now left with two scars on her forehead above her hairline and the other near her eye.

2. Describe your experience completing Miranda July’s assignment.
Completing this assignment was a lot of fun and a little odd. When I had finally made my choice that I was going to pick the scar assignment I had to choose if I was going to talk about myself or about someone else’s scar. Asking someone about their scars is the not most typical conversation starter, although that didn’t stop me. One day during lunch out of the blue I asked if anyone had any scars and what their story was.
I honestly didn’t think that so many people had scars and I was surprised by just how interesting their story was. After long consideration I have chosen to talk about my friend’s sister’s scar. When I had asked my friend’s sister if it was ok for me to use her story she was a little uneasy about it because she rarely spoke about it. Finally she opened up about her scar and the story behind it; it brought back many memories not only for her but also for her sister. At that young of an age Amanda didn’t really understand what was going on neither did her sister but it gave everyone including the company quite a scare. I’ve known Amanda for quite a while and I never knew that she had experience quit the accident; I was relieved to know that she was all right and she wasn’t more serious than that.

3. What do you think Miranda July’s goals are in the creation of her website? How these assignments can represents what counts as art?

I think that Miranda July’s goals for creating her website and her assignments are for students of all ages to express their own creativity. Everyone expresses their creativity and their originality in different ways. Each assignment is designed to show off someone’s talent either it be in the drawing, or writing or singing. I believe that Miranda July designed these types of assignments so that those who view her page have a variety of options to choose from. One’s opinion of art changes from person to person. For example if I believe that a painting from Picasso is art someone else may disagree, for them art maybe writing a song or take a photo of the sunset.
With each assignment there is a website or address where you can send you work, doing so allows either Miranda July herself to see your work. Sending your work allows her to see new talent; this might give her ideas for book or for movies. I also think that it allow her to see what her fans come up with using simple ideas that they later make into their own. She might also make other people view your work this might aspire others to show off their talents and creativity. I believe that this encourages people to go after their dreams because what one maybe think is horrible another may think its arts. That is what is so controversial about art. No one sees something in the same light; everyone has their own thoughts and opinions. Those thoughts and ideas are valued and treasured. Art is what you make it out to be art is adding your own special touches to your work, something that you can later on claim to be yours. An original idea that makes you different from everyone else; there is an artist is each and every one of us we just have to be brave enough to let that person shine though.

Assignment #27 Take a picture of the sun

I chose, as my Miranda July assignment, to take a picture of the sun. It was difficult to capture the sun on camera due to some principal of physics I will not attempt to understand but it is not the same as when viewed with one’s own eyes. It was the end of a hectic day when the picture was taken and by the time I retrieved my camera and ran to the park to get a shot of the glowing red ball, half of it had sunk below the horizon. I then took other pictures on different days, each shot more clever than the last but I decided to stick with my first photo. That was my physical experience of taking the picture but I figured there had to be more to it than that. I thought about the sun. It’s a given. It hangs over us everyday from dawn to dusk. It’s where plants seek their energy to grow and survive and we use the plant’s energy to do the same. But the sun sustains life in other ways. Some trends show suicide rates to be higher in periods of the year where daylight is diminished and so it may be true that the sun plays a role in our emotional well-being as well. The sun is beautiful and enhances our own beauty. People look calmer when the sun is in their face (mildly annoyed at having to squint but calmer nonetheless). It’s the same sun that rose on our first day of life that shines on us today and will be there tomorrow, too. The sun allows us to tell time but is itself timeless. We all have the sun in common but each person shares a unique bond with it.
Miranda July reconceptualizes art by showing that art exists in our everyday lives and does not always have to be created for the specific or sole purpose of being art. The idea that only some few gifted individuals have the vision or propensity to create art has been discarded (Lyotard’s incredulity towards metanarratives). Her assignments cause the ‘artist’ to pause and read whatever they will into the meaning of the task as one would struggle to find meaning in other established, yet equally obscure forms of art.

Assignment #63: Make an encouraging banner

I first started thinking of something encouraging I often tell myself.
When I feel stressed or depressed because of my work, my family, my friends or only because I have a lot of homework and exams, I always tell myself to never give up and to be confident. It does help me a lot because sometimes I lose control and it becomes really hard to pass through some difficult situations.
After I found my encouraging sentence, I drew each letter of this sentence on a piece of colored paper and I cut them out. Then I had to glue each letter on another piece of paper that is a contracting color. I hung the letters across my bathroom so that every morning, all my family and I, we’ll read this encouragement and I hope it will help.
I took then a picture of my work and I sent it.
I really enjoyed my experience because it was interesting and I developed my creativity. I also liked the assignment because I found it useful to people because of fact that only some words can change someone’s life.
I think that Miranda July’s goals are to inspire people and to make them create something that is really significant and interesting.

This is why I also think that these assignments represent a kind of art because people use their imagination and their creativity to make videos, music, songs, paintings, drawings …

Assignment #50: Take a flash photo under your bed

Before I did it, I found it useless and since I have to do it for school I will do it to have my marks. When I finally did it and hold the picture in my hand I realize that sometimes there is some parts of my life ,which are dirty the same way as under of my bed was, and I always sleep over them and never take time to see them and make them better. Also the fact that every time I clean my room I don’t really think about cleaning under my bed. I realize that when I used to say that my room was clean it was not because under my bed was dirty. It is the same think also when something happens to someone and they never try to see why but instead just try to live with it even if it is dirty but they did not see it yet. Basically this exercise made me see stuff in my life that I was not really making attention to .Now I am going to clean them and after show a clean picture of under the bed of my life.


I think that Miranda July goal was to make people see some hidden part of their dirty life that they don’t normally see or they miss. By creating different assignment to propose to her reader she show them that she care and share what she also learned in life. Not only telling story she wrote .these assignment can reconcile people life when they, make the different assignment, take time to read between the line of each one and learn from what they did. Their life will be better because in every assignment there is a message. This is art because people discover what in their life was hidden from them and they were always living with it without notifying it; so when they see it it’s beautiful. This is the same principle in painting

Assignment # 14: Write your life story in less than a day

It was a Friday night during November in a year of the 1980s, I entered to the world. At that time, in my country, the war just had finished around six years ago; thus, every one lived in a very hard condition. I grew up with no toys, with no milk for baby; and my mother could not nurse me because she had not enough nutrition to eat. I was feed by the broth from rice and vegetables which were steamed almost four hours per day by my mom.
Time goes by, when I was six-month old; I was sent to a kindergarten which is closed to my house because if my mom had stayed at home longer, she would have been fired. At that time, the salary of my dad could not afford the whole family; therefore, my mom had no choice. Coming to kindergarten, I was terribly sick. Almost every month, I had to stay in hospital for a week and my parents took turn to take care of me. Of course, the threats of being lay-off were always hanging over our lives. Thankfully, I was better when I became six years old. I could eat much more than I had done before and had a better health. Consequently, my parents could concentrate into their works and had some promotions during that time.
Since then, I started my premier school where I was being a monitor from grade one to grade five. I was a leader in activities and always tried to be on the list of the top-ten pupils. My mom taught me everyday night from seven to nine o’clock to make sure that I understood everything I had learned from school, so I would get good marks. However, one day, I remember, I lied to her that I got ten marks in Mathematic but actually I just got four, later on she fingered out that I lied to her. She beat me that I could not forget until now. She, then, taught me that marks did not the goal in studying; it should be the reflection of my understanding. I was so ashamed about what I had done. When I went to my secondary school, I still kept my position as a monitor generation. I became the center in the class and famous in the school because of my top grades. I studied all the time that I could because I needed to pass the exam to enter into the best high school in my town. At the end, I got it. My high school time was the time that I remember most. I started having dating with two or three boys in the school. Our relationship were too pure to remember clearly; our conversations just were about the study and chit-chatted about our friends. That was all we did.
Afterwards, at the end of 2001, I went to Sweden with my father, who worked for Vietnamese government. I learned Swedish in three years but I did not have certificate in English to be able to enter into university there. Therefore, I came here, Canada, where I met one man who is a student from my country and understand me most; he afterwards is my husband. Now, he is sitting beside me and reading this story as one way of rehearing my life. Thank God that let he comes to my life and share the life with me.
At first, I want to thank to Miranda, who creates this website and gives the idea of retelling the life story. It gives me a chance to share my life with some one else, who would never image how I could be like I am now. When I wrote this story as an assignment, I followed the direction in Miranda July’s website. First, I wrote down what I remember into a piece of paper. Then, I formatted it in full sentences and organized it for the readers able to follow it easily. At the beginning, I thought it would be less than two hours but it was not. It actually took me almost four hours to write, organize, and type it up. Doing these, I feel like I am a “real professional writer.”
Moreover, the website of the introduction to the book “No one belongs here rather than you” of Miranda July makes me feel that she is using the postmodern term to apply to the art. At the beginning, she uses the top of her refrigerator as a dry-erase board, and then the face of the fireplace to write down the information. Miranda is using the technoculture and pastiche as the characteristics of postmodern to make the readers feel very friendly. The two materials that she uses in this website symbolize for the preparation of a food, which is a “spiritual food”. Then, through this, we can say that art depends on the way you look at something else’s not from their own physicals.

Assignment # 27: Take a picture of the sun

About my process

Recently, I took a picture of the sun. The photo was taken at Old Montreal, under a tree. It was September 25, 2007, and the time was 1:36PM. I remember the weather was sunny, and the temperature reached about 26 degrees Celsius. I used my cell phone camera which was a Sony Ericsson W850, an two mega pixels flash. I pointed the camera towards the sun and shot the photo. I did not look directly at the sun through my camera’s viewfinder because the sun was shinning so bright, so I did not want to hurt my eyes. Then I went home, connected my phone to the computer and printed out the image.

The process of this assignment is not hard, but not easy too. A simple image of the sun is just a picture without meaning. However, a good picture is something we can inspire things from it. It needs to follow the path to take a perfect photo, and I did it. Here is what I did while taking the photo of the sun. First, I thought about my photo: the place, environment, etc. Second, I chose my angle. Third, I framed my shot and controlled the light effect. Finally, I snapped the shot.

Analysis

I think the assignments of Miranda July’s goals are to lead us to our own experience, and to learn things from it. The assignments given in the website are various subjects that we can experience. Miranda July aims us to try ourselves in the person’s that professes it. By doing these assignments, we know more about the definition of art. So what we have here is curiosity, to explore, to discover and to learn things that we never did before.

Assignment #55: Photograph a significant outfit

The reason why I chose this particular assignment is because I love photography and I am fascinated with clothing. There are many reasons how I remember wearing that particular outfit. The previous night I went on a wild road trip, my boyfriend asked me what I wanted to do throughout the weekend and as a stunt, I said I wanted to go to New York City. He was then enhanced to go and within the same hour, we were packing our luggage to spend the weekend in New York City. It was such a drastic event in such little time that we were scheduling therefore I was feeling excited and stressed. Our laundry basket was over loaded and we obviously did not have time to wash some clothes and I was urged to prepare my outfits not knowing if the weather was going to be warm, cold, or rainy with limited choices of clothing. I was anxious about the idea that I did not have my best outfits and I knew that it would make me feel uncomfortable however I compromised with myself and wore anything. The ridiculous concept is that I was so concerned about my outfit and I actually cut my tights on our drive to New York because the temperature was hot. The fundamental significance of that outfit is that my adventure was unexpected, astonishing and overwhelming.

I believe Miranda July’s website could be based to produce imagination and artistry an impression of reality or to evoke a memory either by the smells, sounds or visions. After browsing through the different topics, I can perceive that she wants people to think about or inspect things that are happening in our daily lives or to recapitulate events that affect an individual and expressing the events by art such as acting, drawing, taking pictures, or even writing. This assignment conceives people to experience a passive event in an unusual and particular way.

Assignment #59: Interview a person who has experienced a war

“Daniel Was a Young Child During the Second World War”

Me: “What was the most frightening experience you had during the war? An experience

that has stayed with you forever?”

Daniel: “That is when my father, may he rest in peace, was killed in front of me.”

Me: “Would you mind telling me what exactly happened?”

Daniel: “It was on a Monday, in February, and I remember it was a really cold day but it

was also a happy day for me because I turned thirteen and I was going to

celebrate with my family and all the other families that were living with us.

That night my father wanted to go and get the bible from a neighbour so that I

can have it and pray from it on my birthday. My mother and I were watching

from the window because normally a person was not able to go out of his house

at night. I told my father it is ok I don’t need the bible on my birthday, but he

insisted and he said he wanted it to be a good birthday for me. I saw my father

running and suddenly I heard four gun shots and I saw my father fall down on the

snow. I remember standing there in shock and my mother screamed and started

crying hysterically. That was the worst day of my life.

Me: “I am so sorry, I cannot even imagine what you must have felt seeing you father

like that. It must have been so hard.”

Daniel: “It was very hard, but I still felt like he was with me during the entire war.”

Assignment #11: Photograph a scar and write about it

My scared forehead


To be honest I would have never thought that of this particular kind of assignment is related to English class. Usually I would thought that writing papers and reading books would basically sum up to what we all know as English class. I never knew that so much art could take part in an English class. I didn’t even know that photography could relate to English.

The assignment that I had to do was to take a picture of my scar and talk about it. I had fun doing this assignment, not only that it makes English even more fun but it really open my eyes to how English can be involve with everything in life.

My story began when I was about 5 or 6 years of age, and lived in Calgary. My sisters and I were playing in my dad’s bedroom. It was a pretty small room with just a twin size bed and a next just a meter away from his bed. On the desk, there was a cloth covering the top so that my sisters and I won’t ruin the wood. One day, I have decided to jump on my dad’s bed. My sisters joined of course, and we had a blast. While I was jumping up and down, I thought to myself, it would be even more exciting if we jump from the bed to the desk, jumping back and forth. So we started jumping back and forth from the bed to the desk, and jump from the desk to the bed. While I was standing on the desk, I was preparing myself to make a big jump to the bed. As I bounced off the desk, I slip on the cloth that was covering the desk, miss the desk, and my forehead landed on the bed frame, which was made out of medal. My forehead hit the bed frame pretty hard that my forehead actually split open, and blood just starting gushing out. My sister started crying but for me I find it rather exciting. I wasn’t in pain or anything, all I felt was the warm blood coming out of my forehead, which somehow relaxes me. So that is why I have this scar on my forehead, because of my immaturity.

This experience was fun, and I really enjoy doing this assignment. As a graphic designer, I have to learn photography, learn how to choose certain lightings for certain shots and areas. Doing this assignment, I had to fool around with the lighting a lot, changing the ISO, the aperture, and also the F-stops. It is hard but it didn’t really matter to me because I had fun doing it. Taking a picture of my scar is hard because I have to make the picture clear in order for the viewer to see my little scar on my forehead. It was challenging at times because most of my pictures were blurred, so I had to do so many retakes. Some of my picture had my hair covering my scar; some pictures didn’t even showed my scar, meaning that I had aimed at the wrong spot.

I think her goal is for people to explore literature in an art kind of way. There are some people who are afraid of words and don’t want to pick of a pencil a write. So in order to get people writing to have art involve, and have them describe that piece o fart work through English literature. Having the idea of posting their work on her website shows pride and more motivating for the writers to continue writing for the fun of it.

Assignment #51 :Describe what to do with your body when you die.

There are two ways that I wanted to do with my body when I die. The first one is kind of awkward for I wanted to mummified, but I want my right arm raised up high in the form of hi-5. Then put my body into a museum and let everyone who sees me, hi-5 me. This is just to remind people how I enjoyed living and there will be no admission required. This is just one of my fantasy but it is however applicable.

The second one is to be covered in a mat made from leaves of a tree and usually hand-made, which we call “banig” in my country. I want to be covered in it and then be thrown into the ocean and people who want to witness it could come, and a ceremony is not needed. It’s a tradition in a province in my country. I want this to be done to my body because it is the most peaceful way to be one where I belong.

Assignment #51: Describe what to do with your body when you die

When I die, I’d like to have my body left to science. First, however, I’d like a small gathering with my friends, family, and loved ones, where they could all talk and joke and sing together like they did when I was alive. I’d also like to have them take existing photos and video footage of me and arrange them, in chronological order; to a song that they feel best describes my life. Once the scientists are done with my body, I’d like for my body parts to be removed from their jars of formaldehyde, placed into a beautifully carved box, and thrown into the Venetian Sea. I always said I would get to Venice one way or another.

I went through the different assignments, and this one was the one that immediately caught my eye. I plan a lot of things, and I’ve wanted to leave my body to science since I was twelve. The part with the gathering and the song came much later, as I was sitting on the bus listening to the song “The Rose” sung by Bette Midler.

When I started working on Miranda July’s assignment, I not only thought up what I would like done with my body after I died, but also how I would like to die; almost as though I needed that information to complete the required information. I decided that I would like to die, not necessarily of old age, but by a disease. Shortly before I die, I would like my friends, and loved ones to take my deteriorating body to a garden; any garden. I want my friends to place me in a tree and sit in its leaves with me. If there isn’t enough room in the branches for everyone, the some people can sit in the flower beds. I want everyone to talk, tell jokes, sing songs,(like in the ceremony) tell stories, and reminisce; and when I do die, I want to be laughing.

I felt that in completing Miranda July’s assignment, I ended up questioning a lot of other aspects of my life and how I’d like them to be played out if I had the option of being in control. I know we cannot determine every second of our lives, but it’s still an interesting experience to think up how we would want them to be if we could. I realized a very valuable lesson about myself in doing this assignment; it doesn’t matter to me when I die, even if it’s tomorrow, as long as the minutes before are happy ones.

I think that Miranda July’s main goal in crating this type of website was to really get the mental juices flowing in the minds of myself and my peers. I think that my generation has become detached from themselves and lost track of who they are. Maybe M. July wants to give us these concrete, down to earth, assignments, of things to do that will heighten our desensitized and mostly unfeeling society. Some of the other assignments were: Assignment #15 Hang a wind chime on a tree in a parking lot, Assignment #30 Take a picture of strangers holding hands, Assignment #33 Braid someone's hair, Assignment #47 Re-enact a scene from a movie that made someone else cry, Assignment #56 Make a portrait of your friend's desires, etc... All of these assignments are about documenting feelings or doing something for another person, or appreciating beauty; Miranda July wants us to become human again. She wants us to stop and smell flowers and smile when someone is nice to another person. She wants us to recognise that what is happening around us all the time, and she wants us to think about what we see, analyze how we feel, and form our own opinions based on our observations.

What is considered art is generally a painting or a sculpture, but Miranda July’s website even challenges what constitutes as performance art! Everyone has a different view of what art is: some say it has to be concrete, others say it has to be abstract; some even evaluate the legitimacy of a piece by how aesthetically pleasing it is. It’s like how some people think all poems should rime and others think they shouldn’t. These assignments, however, are made by the audience, yet who is the audience? It’s a worldwide audience, so now what is abstract is who is “watching” the show? The assignments always remain the same; it’s the people doing them that vary. Can interaction this indirect be qualified as art? I think it can, but most people would probably be afraid of such a dramatic change.

Structure for Mid-term Exam

October 15^th

Part A: Passage Identification and Analysis – 20 marks (4 passages, 5 marks each)

You will be given a selection from a literary work that we have read in the course, and be asked to identify its title and author. You will be asked to analyze how the selection connects with the main ideas or themes of the work (not the plot), and how the work in question can be considered postmodern.

e.g.

[They]

Lived, they say, happily ever after,

Like two dolls in a museum case

Never bothered by diapers or dust,

Never arguing over the timing of an egg,

Never telling the same story twice,

Never getting a middle-aged spread,

Their darling stories pasted on for eternity

Regular Bobbsey Twins

That story.

Part B. Short Answers - 24 marks (8 questions, 3 marks each)

You will be asked questions that deal with all of the material we have dealt with in the class. This material includes the field trip to the CCA, Being John Malkovich, the handouts and notes on postmodernism, learningtoloveyoumore.com, as well as all of the material from the course pack that we have covered this far.

Part C: Choice of Short Answer Questions – 6 marks (2 questions, 3 marks each)

In this section, there will be short answer questions of about Waiting for Godot, “Dabchick,” Maus, The New Sins, and The Future Dictionary of America. You will be required to answer 2 of the 5 questions.

October 17^th

Part D: In-class essay - 50 marks

You will have a choice of three questions dealing with the literary works that we have read in class. You will see these questions on the exam handout on the 15^th, but you will not be allowed to prepare or bring in any notes to the in-class essay. Some of the questions will involve a comparison of two works. The essay must be well-organized, argument-driven, double-spaced, and in MLA format. You will be evaluated on the quality of your analysis, the quality of your essay structure and organization, and the quality of your written expression.

Assignment #14: Write your life story in less than a day

Today is September 22nd, 2007. I woke up at 11 o’clock in the morning, I roll in my bed for about 20 minutes. I finally got out of my bed at 11:20, I went to brush the washroom to brush my teeth, and got dress for work. I went out of my house and drove to work. I arrived at work at noon, and I started to work right away. I start with all the preparing jobs, such as preparing coffee and prepare hot and cold water. Unlike the other days, this Saturday was really calm at the restaurant. I had my first client at 1 o’clock, I brought him some tea and took his order. Five minutes later, I brought the client his food and about half an hour later the client ask for the bill. He took some time before paying the bill, but meanwhile there are you old ladies that came in the restaurant and sat down. I gave the ladies the menus and went to pick up the money and the bill that the other client left on the table. I brought the ladies water and took their order, after I went to prepare their soups. I serve them the soups and went to my counter and sat down, wait till they finish their soups. When they finished their soup I went to pick up their bowls and put two plates on the table. I brought the food and let them eat, one hour later the two ladies finished eating and ask for their bill. They paid and left, I went to clean the table and took the money. After cleaning the table I sat down and start reading a magazine that I found in the restaurant. I read for half and hour and went to make a sangria for myself. I didn’t do anything for the next one and a half hour, at 4:30 I went to wash the cups that I used this morning. I prepare all the needs for the others that were going to come to work at 5. I left at five o’clock and went back to my house. I went to shower first when I got home, and then went to prepare myself some food for supper. I watched the television and ate my supper at the same time. I washed my dishes after I’m done and went to open my laptop and start writing down what did I do today. I finished the work at 10 and went to sleep. I played a little with my Nintendo DS before falling asleep.

Assignment #30: Take a photograph of two strangers holding hands

Alexandre Rivelli
Introduction to Postmodern Literature
M.Cambell
Sept 29th 2007

Miranda July Assignment Number 30

1.





2. The assignment number 30 is about taking a picture of two strangers hold their hands. It was fairly easy to do. The way I precede for this is I brought my camera to work one day and ask different picture about people holding their hands and I come out with the picture above. At the beginning the people where not quite receptive, but trough the day pass and the people start too been more receptive. Also the approach I use for this assignment was very basic it was just asking them if they want to be in a picture.

3. This photograph can be seen as art due of the beautiful colors of the lake and the trees in the background. Also the fact of one of the person have is eyes close can illustrate is perception toward photography the denying the fact he is been photograph. The smile the young lady does combining with her golden hair can remind some advertising for sunglasses or hair product.

Assignment #11: Photograph a scar and write about it

The picture of the scar comes from my boyfriend’s face. It happened when he decided to go snowboarding with is friend Jarret on a cold winter evening with icing snow covering the ground. They had begun building a jump a few days before during the first snow storm of the year and had decided to try it out that night on the 9 of December 2004. When they got on top of the hill, Frank attached the snowboard to his feet, and he had Jarrett give him the starting push. Everything was going smooth at first, but he rapidly realized it was impossible for him to turn and that the snowboard wasn’t breaking the ice. He therefore was unable to redirect himself on the jumped and only caught it on the side making him jump 5-6 feet in the air and loose his posture and land face first in the ice. His face was bleeding a lot and his wrist was sprained so he went home right away. When they arrived, Frank went to clean up his face and get changed while his mother was getting ready to go to the clinic to make sure everything was fine. When they arrived, the clinic was closed and they instead went to the hospital were they spent 6 hours in line before finally deciding to go to the clinic the next morning instead because the receptionist was unable to tell them the waiting time. The next day, they got up early and had to go get x-rays done. The doctors concluded his nose wasn’t broken but that his wrist was severely sprained. A few days later, he realized that although his nose wasn’t broken, he would have a big scar between his two eyes as a result of the incident.

Getting started with Miranda’s assignment was a bit difficult because at first when I asked my boyfriend if I could take a picture of his scar and write about it, he wasn’t too exited because since that accident he never went on a snowboard again. But because I really wanted to take his scar for my project, he did let me take a picture of it and he told me exactly how it happened, even if I kind off knew the whole story in the first place. While doing Miranda’s July assignment it brought back many memories since at that time Frank and I weren’t going out because I had a crush on another guy. However, I was really fond of him, and like his other friends, I was worried and wondered why he was absent for an important midterm in science. I found it amusing to do this assignment because it wasn’t like the traditional assignments you are assigned in class and thus felt like if there was no pressure to do it.

I think the goal of Miranda’s website is to inspire her audience, which looks at the topics of her assignments, by offering an expressive topic to write on. The website seeks to expose the points of views people have by creating a kind of exhibition of their work which others can go see how others write assignments and participate themselves in the exercises. I think it is also made in order to attract kids or any one by giving a large array of amusing assignments to choose from. Indeed, the website redefines art because it is an exhibition of pictures and assignments which are made by common people and not by artists or professional writers which consequently offers a different style. Clearly, by going on Miranda’s site we can create our own amusing project that will be unique to us.

Assignment # 33: Braid someone's hair

Miranda July’s assignment

I chose to do the assignment number 33 which is to braid someone’s hair. While doing this assignment I felt childish and weird. I hadn’t braided someone’s hair since I was maybe 13. At first I asked my sister if she would let me braid her hair, she refused because she said she had just straightened her hair and didn’t want to ruin it, but I finally convinced her by telling her how much fun it would be, just like when we were younger. It became apparent to me, when I visited the other website http://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com why July was asking us to do these assignments. I think she wanted us to take ordinary tasks, or not ordinary, that we do and take the time to enjoy them and the giddy feeling we get. I believe it definitely re-conceptualizes what we consider art. Art is supposed to make us think, distract us – even if it’s just for a moment. It doesn’t necessarily need to be aesthetic like many people think. This website definitely distracted and intrigued me. Also, I think it’s a very original way of marketing her book, it definitely got me wanting to go find out more about this book.

Assignment #53: Give yourself advice in the past

While I was completing this assignment I felt as though I was being tested and forced to analyse the tiny details of my past. It also felt like a form of therapy to me, to be able to talk about certain topics that I usually try to avoid or forget was quite therapeutic . In a sense this assignment strips you of any barriers and walls you may be creating between yourself and others and really forces you to reveal many of your most private problems and secrets.

While I was writing out advice to myself I had a chance to seat back and really examine myself and the decisions I have made in my past, some good and some not so good. It was quite a reality check to realize how much I would have taken back or changed. But in the end I was able to come to an agreement with myself that I really don’t regret any of my actions because the mistakes I made have only made me a stronger and more level headed person. I felt this activity was intended to be something very personal and was meant to get people to really analyse tiny details that they usually wouldn’t pay attention to in their everyday lives; I felt it to be a very intense activity.

In the creation of this website I think Miranda July’s goal was to force people to really analyze the tiny and unimportant details in life, but in a new and creative manner. Art is a way for people to express themselves to come out of there shell; a manner of expressing your ideas and thoughts about events in our everyday lives. Art does not always have to be paintings, drawings and sculptures because there are numerous other ways that artists communicate who they are and what they stand for. In this case Miranda July chooses a form of art that uses other people’s experiences and beliefs to convey a message to others through some very unconventional ways. From this activity I felt that Miranda was a very laid back person who truly has confidence in herself and seems to be very intrigued by the world around her.

Age seventeen:

• Don’t let the pressures of boyfriends and sex get to you; there is no rush and it will happen when it’s meant to.

• Be personable and try to not be so shy, be yourself and open up to people more often.

• Don’t go downtown prom night and DON’T take that “special” pill from your friends.

• I know you don’t like the idea of moving to another province, but give it a chance because you really will grow to love it.

• Don’t be so harsh on mom and dad, they feel enough guilt for moving you to another province; they are just really worried about you.

• Join the soccer team in grade 12, it will help you to make friends so you don’t have to eat alone every lunch hour.

• Don’t invite those random guys you met at Wendy’s over to your house while your parents are in P.E.I. They will find out and will have a very hard time trusting you from there on out.

• Don’t date Chris!!! He is a dog and a liar and is only going to cheat on you every chance he gets. You can do much better and deserve better.

• Try your best in all your rugby matches, if not you’ll always think back and regret not ever giving it your best.

• Don’t spend all your money for school on a tattoo, mom and dad will find out and will not be impressed; plus you’ll be broke for school.

Assignment #35: Ask your family to describe what you do

From my father:

He always studies, because he always has a lot of homework to do. When he was in
junior high school, the pressure from his school is very intensive. Everyone studied hard during that time, no exception for him. He also had to stay after school to 9:00 p.m. That time was really tough for him, but he has overcame it. Moreover, He spends his time with his friends or us. He also does break dancing with his friends, and he really likes break dancing a lot. We play basketball in our free time, it’s our favourite activity. He plays video game also as normal teens.

From my little brother:

My brother always uses his computer to do his homework, and he likes to play online
game with me. We always have a good time. And he enjoys listening to music during
shower or his free time, he feels relax of listening to music. More, we also watch T.V
together. When he wants to play basketball, I always play with him, and he teaches me how to play basketball. In the weekend, he will hang out with his friends or with us.

From my girlfriend:

He always sits in front of his laptop, and plays games or surfs internet and doing his
works. Computer seems really important in his life, because he spends a lot of time on his laptop. Besides, his hobby I will he really likes playing basketball in his free time. Basketball is one of the most important things in his life. He doesn’t really like to go out but just stays at home in holidays. He likes cooking and cooks for me a lot. Cooking is one of his hobbies. We also watch movie in weekends.

I think assignment makes me to know myself deeper and more. Generally, people
sometimes don’t know what kind of personality do they have, or what are they always doing in their time. But, as an onlooker, such as my dad or my brother, they can tell me what I am always doing. I have asked my family about what do I do everyday when I was in Taiwan. The way I do this assignment is to ask my family through MSN. Because I live alone in Canada, my parents are in Taiwan, so I always use MSN to contact with my family. It’s kind of interesting to do an assignment by using msn. Both my parents are very busy on their work, so I don’t really talk to them everyday. Sometimes, msn can express something that cannot express by verbal expressing. My whole family use msn, even my little brother, he starts using msn like seven years old, and I really like to talk to him. I used msn to ask the question to my dad, and my brother called from Taiwan to here. My dad just told me a few things, not too much. Because he said studying is the major thing I did when I was in Taiwan. And for my brother, he provided me more information to me, because we really spend a lot of time together. Even he is younger than me about eight years, but our relationship is really closed. My girlfriend has pretty good relationship to me, she understands me a lot. So the things that she has mentioned are really touched to my mind. The way I asked him is to call her, and I explained to her what’s the assignment about, then she just told the things I always do in my time.
Arts, as we know, include many different aspects. Music, films, drawing, sculpture,

writing and anything that contains an element of art could be called art. Also, depends on how we define arts, because everything could be an art. For instance, a chair could be an art, because the designer of the chair creates that chair, and the chair carries the thinking of the designer. So a chair could be an art without a doubt. There are many assignments in Miranda July’s website, making a film, taking a picture or writing essays. In her website, every assignment represents an art. Those assignments have different aspects and different ways to do it. I saw there are some assignments about taking a picture of a stranger, or make a neighbourhood field recording. These assignments are all considered as arts. The reason I do assignment #35 is that I want to know what do they think I am always doing in my time. So my assignment will be an writing assignment. Writings, essays can also be an artistic performance. From time immemorial, writing is a significant way to record any event. And since writing has appeared, our histories have been started. The ways of writings, emotions in writings, and sensations in writings are all crucial elements in writing art. Therefore, writings could be defined as an art.

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