FINAL PROJECT

I decided to make a unit and upload it to a wiki for my final project. Click here to check it out!

Using Film to Teach Literature

I have to be honest; I’m not a fan of showing film adaptations of novels merely because they exist. As an undergrad, I remember having a film adaptation assignment for my Shakespeare class in which we had to analyze a film that was based on one of Shakespeare’s plays. I was assigned The Tempest, and I only wish that Helen Mirren’s new version was around back then. Instead, I had to look at a 1982 film called Tempest that completely bastardized the play. While I know that “quality” is a relative term, my Shakespeare class made me realize that some film adaptations are not worth seeing the light of day. Still, I’m all about using films alongside literature if they are well-made productions. I think they can be useful for during and post-reading activities, especially with the comprehension of difficult texts. Films would be particularly beneficial for English language learners who cannot access literature in their native language. For texts that are open to multiple interpretations, I think films might offer alternative analyses of readings, especially if a classroom is homogenous. When this is the case, I think it would be fun to have students storyboard scenes as they read and compare their storyboard to the film adaptation. I would then create a class VoiceThread in which students could discuss what parts of the film’s interpretation were unexpected. I could also envision creating a VoiceThread where students would discuss which parts of a book were left out of a film adaptation and the implications of leaving out parts of the original narrative. Overall, I only believe in teaching film and literature together if the film will enhance students’ experience interacting with a text. I’m not someone who uses media and technology simply because it exists.

Music Prezi

Please Don't Stop the Music on Prezi

Born Free, by M.I.A.

M.I.A.’s music video for “Born Free” is quite possibly the best music video of 2010. While violent, shocking, and graphic, the video is still poignant in illustrating the effects of genocides being carried out by the United States on a daily basis without protest by U.S. citizens. Romain Gavras, the video’s director, clearly addresses the video to the United States specifically – his militants wear S.W.A.T. team regalia. What is not expressly stated, though, is which particular holocaustic measures Gavras is addressing. Could he be pointing to the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison? Is he addressing immigration conflicts in the United States, specifically in places like Arizona? Is the video calling into question American stereotyping of individuals who appear to be Arab? Or, more universally, could Gavras be pointing to the way large governments chastise minorities worldwide? Because the video is so jolting, albeit obvious in its message, I think it is extremely effective in promoting M.I.A.’s values and world beliefs. (She has stated that she does not believe in violence as a result of her upbringing during the Sri Lankan Civil War). Does her message make her sell more albums? Not necessarily. It does, however, raise a few eyebrows that wouldn’t normally look in her direction otherwise.

My Kind of Music

When it comes to music, I love indie pop-rock. Bands like The Magnetic Fields, Fleet Foxes, The Bird and the Bee, Beach House, Grizzly Bear, and Florence and the Machine are constantly playing on my iTunes. That isn’t to say I don’t enjoy different artists and genres. I like other indie artists like Robyn, Yelle, Andrew Bird, and Janelle Monae; local groups like P.O.S., Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps, Atmosphere, Solid Gold, and Cloud Cult; and more mainstream female artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Janet Jackson. If I had to pick one band that captured the type of music I frequently listen to these days, it would be, hands down, the Canadian indie rock group Metric. The single “Sick Muse,” from their 2009 release, Fantasies, captures my love for indie pop-rock the best:

The main component of indie music has nothing to do with sound; rather, it signifies independence from major record labels in the recording and publishing of albums. However, that freedom allows artists to experiment with beats, melodies, and sounds that are not necessarily found in mainstream music. “Sick Muse” was written by the band’s lead singer, Emily Haines, which gives the song its indie credibility. While its edgy guitar riffs and hard drum beat make the song obviously rock, Haines’ vocals give the single a melodic, catchy, pop vibe. For me, the allure of “Sick Muse” is how easy it is to dance to. I’m a sucker for a good beat that I can groove with, and Metric typically does a good job of making it easy to move to their music, even though they are a rock band. On a personal level, I also think that the song, and the Fantasies album in general, helped me through a breakup and spoke to a time in my life when I was hating love and relationships.

I’m not so sure that I would teach “Sick Muse” to my students, but I find a lot of use in teaching the indie genre. I think it affords opportunities to teach music production and, therefore, the dissemination of ideologies through branding musicians. A lot of people think that because indie music is not commercially produced, it should be hailed as a product free from capitalist ambitions. In reality, though, many indie artists, Metric included, still use the same producers as more commercial artists, even if they are not subject to large recording labels. Many indie artists also rely on the same mediums as their well-known counterparts to get their music across. In the Twin Cities, most indie artists are played on 89.3 The Current, a subsidiary station of Minnesota Public Radio, which, in and of itself, says something about the individuals who listen to indie music. In essence, indie listeners often like to see themselves as outside of society’s socio-cultural strongholds when, in fact, they too are part of the system.