Literature in Film

The Humanities seminar that focused on film in the Humanities was really intriguing! This was the first time that I had really considered film as a part of the Humanities since it isn't one of our main focuses, but it definitely fits right along with literature. I especially enjoyed listening about the creative license taken at the end of Westside Story when Maria does not kill herself. She lives on as a reminder of the tragedy that happened. I actually became so interested in the type of analyzing we did with literature to film that I decided to take an English class next quarter that focuses on the transformation of Shakespeare plays into film, English 398. Shout out to Ben and Daniel: Thank you for helping me further my interest in the Humanities!

Grammar Smackdown!

I was expecting some high-level competition going into the Humanities Grammar Smackdown event, competing against people who generally have such strong English and writing skills, but, despite my pursuing a more science based major, I was ready to put up a fight. I love English ad grammar, so I was so excited to put my knack for grammar to some fun use. I had such a great time at the competition, and I think that most people took it very seriously which made it all the more fun! I really hope that it continues as a tradition for the Humanities Scholars because I think we all had a lot of fun with it as well as learned a couple things to help us be better writers!

Volunteering: From Sarada Dhulipala

Volunteering:

I have been volunteering at the Northwest library for over five years now.  Even though its been a long time, it still is interesting to go help the library and see what the kids these days are up to.  I meet a lot of interesting people every time I volunteer.  For instance, one time a little boy asked me if there were any good books to read, I suggested Harry Potter, he asked me who that was, I smiled and walked away.  It is fun to see how media is so vital in getting information across an audience. The library is a key source in providing people with the information through books, videos, and magazines.  Overall, volunteering at the library can be related to the humanities,in that, it takes the service aspect of it. 

International Festival: From Sarada Dhulipala

International Festival:

Couple weeks ago, I went to the International Festival in Downtown. It was fun and exciting but, also very educational.  There were so many cultures that were represented there.  I have always gone to International Festival but this time there was so much more that was to be observed and learned.  For example, Spain’s majority is Catholic however, long ago they were actually under a Muslim rule (resulting the major religion followed at the time to be Islam).  At the festival, many people also perform a culturally significant art.  There was an Bharathanatyam (Indian Classical Dance), and Chinese cultural dance, and even the Tango.  It was a really good experience to go and learn about all these cultures and traditions.

The Help Discussion

Though I could not attend The Help book discussion, my English course content and literature greatly overlaps with that of the book. Thus, I have contributed to many discussions about servitude and the treatment of blacks and women in the south during the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, my History 152 course has greatly detailed the Civil Rights Movement and this particular time period in which the book takes place. This additional background information, coupled with the other literary works I have experienced that deal with the same subject matter, helped me to better gauge the true intent of Katherine Stockett and her work.

I greatly enjoyed how Skeeter followed her dreams and stood up against racism and domestication rather than seeking her mothers approval. I admired her boldness, as she took on the task of writing about women's domestication in Jackson, Mississippi. After reading a few of the blogs that pertained to the book discussion, I noticed that conversation occurred about whether the race of the author played any role in the overall meaning/impact of the novel. I do not think that the race of the author mattered at all, of the fact that Stockett was white. Every person possesses a different outlook on domestication and race, white or African American, and i believe that each outlook is important when learning about such strong subject matters.

Explore Columbus

Not knowing our precise destination, my roommates and I set off for down town Columbus on a terribly wet sunday afternoon. After some talk, we decided to make our first stop the art museum. With a mindset of just going in, snapping a few pictures, and leaving, we entered the museum. Once inside, I think all of our mindsets changed. We began looking around and ended up staying for about an hour, just appreciating all the art. Not being a very artsy person, it was actually a better experience than I thought it would be. (I hadn't been to an art museum since preschool.) After the museum, we trudged our way through the cold and rain to the Columbus Library where we learned about the history of Columbus with the help of a couple librarians. Despite the rain, I'm really glad to have had this experience. Exploring Columbus has helped me get to better know the area around which I now live as well as appreciate the Humanities within our city.

Book Discussion

I went to The Help book discussion which I really enjoyed. I loved talking about the book. I've done book clubs before and just getting to discuss that many others equally enjoyed or was interested in was great. I love reading and It was easy because I already read the book last year and really enjoyed it. It was a great book to read and I thank Ben for choosing it.