Imagination could be defined as the work of the mind that helps us
create an artistic product, for instance. We can examine the different
psychological reasons and resorts on which human imagination depends.
Non-musicians, for instance, who are usually less capable of perceiving a
musical piece through the same critical and analytical perspective of
musical experts, are merely capable of transposing the audio excitation
that usually translates into their minds into powerful emotions, into
visual images. Thus, we could say that non-musicians "read" music
through images, with the help of their imagination.
The ambiguous affective excitation can be manifested as personal
reverie, incapable of adhering to the musical object. If it does adhere,
it can only turn musical fragments into images. Even while the subject
is in the process of creating his very own musically emotional sphere,
it may happen for this sphere to go beyond the audio limits. Like a
powerful excitation, it can make the individual's entire sensitivity
system vibrate. This can be called sensorial transposition, transfer,
correspondence, etc.
There is only one type of sensitivity at work in the aesthetic emotion.
The entire human spirit takes part in the creation of this kind of
emotion. There are a priori forms of the sensitive intelligence, so to
say and these are in fact the great general laws of aesthetic
sensitivity. There is also intelligence in action, the need to know
things, to understand, together with the skills of intellectually
representing and stylizing things. Imagination has the tendency to
complete and go beyond the defined aesthetic feeling. In a way, imagination
proclaims the unity of arts, beyond the peculiarities of any of these
arts. Baudelaire was perhaps right when saying that in every work of art
there is a missing part which is completed by the aesthetic subject's
imagination. Each art actually represents only one aspect and artistic
moment. At their very origin, arts get mixed in a sort of synthetic
confusion, out of which they get differentiated in order to express
themselves in their individuality and specificity.
Nonetheless, the deepest musical contemplation can quite often result in
images and also a sort of mind poetry, images that are filled with
musicality. Henri Delacroix compares the way of perceiving music and art
in general, to the religious contemplation. He thus explains how
certain mystics "find shelter" in the Divine shadow and reject
everything that is labeled as distinct and ascertained. But there are
other mystics also to which ecstasy is translated into visions. The void
of the imagination often comes from a critical attitude, from choosing
indifference and repression. Other mystics get rid of their visions by
plunging into action.
On the other hand, there are mystics who accept and embrace their
visions. They find them useful, something that they can learn from in
order to develop spiritually. Visions can thus serve to explain the
ambiguous, confused states of mind. Thus, they are the expression of
ecstasy's utilitarian sense. At any rate, the analogy of the work of the
imagination with the process of a vision-creating into the mind of a
mystical person is quite interesting. Delacroix says that the state of
ecstasy is first and foremost a state of mind that wants to impose
itself onto the human spirit. Regardless of any elements that are
stranger to the nature of contemplation itself, visions can be regarded
as the expression of ecstasy's lyrical element. Because visions can
satisfy a mystic's deepest tendencies and spiritual desires, they are
cultivated and searched for.
Many people have the tendency to associate music with a certain
interpretation, a science, an object. We are meant to search for
meanings and intelligibility. In a chaos of impressions, we are looking
for a certain map to get oriented. And because it does not pertain to
chaos, music can direct us towards certain clear schemes. And instead of
remaining immanent to the music, it can rise in front of the human
spirit like a sort of symbol. Whether we associated music with visuals
or not, one thing is for sure: all arts are interrelated and
interconnected. And through the work of the imagination, they can be
used together to enhance our aesthetic perception.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The Good Old Dancing
According to a recent suggestion made by Joseph Jordania, dance together
with body painting and rhythmic music, was a tool used by the natural
selection's forces in the early ages of mankind's development for
putting human groups into a certain state of battle trance. He explains
that it was a very particular alternative state of consciousness. By it,
individual would lose their personal identity and acquire a new type of
identity, a collective one. According to Jonathan Pieslak's researches,
some contemporary military units have the habit of singing loud and
dancing in order to get ready for the perilous combat mission they are
about to embark on. Jordania says that dance's ability to induce this
state of trance comes from the past of the human development and it also
includes some sort of military drill which also relies on sharing
rhythmical and monotonous group activity.
Dance has existed from the beginnings of time. Perhaps it even appeared before the very first tribes were formed, but most certainly dance grew in popularity with the development of tribal life. So dance has always been a part of people's lives, although they did sometimes perform more than the entertainment function. Dances just had to be based on themes such as death, birth, the revival of nature in springtime, marriage, the teenagers' growing up, hunting, winning a battle or war with one's neighbors. Dance was also used for worshiping gods, agriculture, sexuality, chasing away evil spirits or for prosperity bringing rituals.
In time, dance lost all of these significances so that today it is only a form of art. It also has a communicative function among the participants. Aristotle explained the origins of rhythm by referring to one's heart beats, the perfect metronome. Many types of dances appeared throughout time, which had different meanings but one single purpose, that of revealing the most elaborate movements, the moral conduct, the manners and the elegance of the dancer. In the European culture the very first record of dancing belongs to Homer. In his "Iliad", Homer describes "chorea"(χορεία khoreia). The early ancient Greeks had turned the dance art into a sort of system, encompassing and expressing all the other different passions. For instance, the dance of the so-called "Furies" could generally create a very realistic atmosphere of terror and horrors, so that the audience was deeply moved. Dancing was ranked by the famous Greek philosopher named Aristotle with poetry. He said that certain dancers are able to apply rhythm to their gestures in such a way that they could actually express actions, manners, passions. What is interesting to know here is that the most prominent Greek sculptors closely studied and observed dancers' attitude and movements in order to find inspiration in their art works.
In the beginning, there wasn't any big difference between folk and social dances but in time they gained some other aspects. The minuet was from the 17th century on, a dance of elegance because it was practiced at the aristocratic courts. Waltz was quite popular during its age but also quite controversial because of the close distance between the two dance partners. The two World Wars have reshaped the entire dance fashion. So in the 20th century foxtrot and shimmy appeared. From the Swing improvisations of the 40s Jitterbug also appeared. Later on, in the 50s, rock-n-roll also appeared.
Ballroom dance can be either American, or international. In the American style, there are rhythmical and smooth dances. The "rhythmical" category of the American style is similar to the Latin-American one of the international style, the same as the "smooth" category is similar to the "standard" category. Ballroom dance could be considered a social dance because it encourages social interaction, and also because partners dance in pairs. The typical principles can be applied to any type of dance, be it rock, disco or classical waltz and this is because the ballroom dance has strict tempo of 3/4 or 4/4. Out of the international or Latin-American dances the most notorious rhythms include: meringue, salsa, mambo, bossa nova and many others. All these can be included in the Latino section of the international class, together with rumba, cha-cha-cha, samba, paso doble and jive. The standard section includes Viennese Waltz, slow Waltz, Tango, Slow Fox, Quick Step, etc.
Dance has existed from the beginnings of time. Perhaps it even appeared before the very first tribes were formed, but most certainly dance grew in popularity with the development of tribal life. So dance has always been a part of people's lives, although they did sometimes perform more than the entertainment function. Dances just had to be based on themes such as death, birth, the revival of nature in springtime, marriage, the teenagers' growing up, hunting, winning a battle or war with one's neighbors. Dance was also used for worshiping gods, agriculture, sexuality, chasing away evil spirits or for prosperity bringing rituals.
In time, dance lost all of these significances so that today it is only a form of art. It also has a communicative function among the participants. Aristotle explained the origins of rhythm by referring to one's heart beats, the perfect metronome. Many types of dances appeared throughout time, which had different meanings but one single purpose, that of revealing the most elaborate movements, the moral conduct, the manners and the elegance of the dancer. In the European culture the very first record of dancing belongs to Homer. In his "Iliad", Homer describes "chorea"(χορεία khoreia). The early ancient Greeks had turned the dance art into a sort of system, encompassing and expressing all the other different passions. For instance, the dance of the so-called "Furies" could generally create a very realistic atmosphere of terror and horrors, so that the audience was deeply moved. Dancing was ranked by the famous Greek philosopher named Aristotle with poetry. He said that certain dancers are able to apply rhythm to their gestures in such a way that they could actually express actions, manners, passions. What is interesting to know here is that the most prominent Greek sculptors closely studied and observed dancers' attitude and movements in order to find inspiration in their art works.
In the beginning, there wasn't any big difference between folk and social dances but in time they gained some other aspects. The minuet was from the 17th century on, a dance of elegance because it was practiced at the aristocratic courts. Waltz was quite popular during its age but also quite controversial because of the close distance between the two dance partners. The two World Wars have reshaped the entire dance fashion. So in the 20th century foxtrot and shimmy appeared. From the Swing improvisations of the 40s Jitterbug also appeared. Later on, in the 50s, rock-n-roll also appeared.
Ballroom dance can be either American, or international. In the American style, there are rhythmical and smooth dances. The "rhythmical" category of the American style is similar to the Latin-American one of the international style, the same as the "smooth" category is similar to the "standard" category. Ballroom dance could be considered a social dance because it encourages social interaction, and also because partners dance in pairs. The typical principles can be applied to any type of dance, be it rock, disco or classical waltz and this is because the ballroom dance has strict tempo of 3/4 or 4/4. Out of the international or Latin-American dances the most notorious rhythms include: meringue, salsa, mambo, bossa nova and many others. All these can be included in the Latino section of the international class, together with rumba, cha-cha-cha, samba, paso doble and jive. The standard section includes Viennese Waltz, slow Waltz, Tango, Slow Fox, Quick Step, etc.
The Psychology of Poetry
A lot of people in the whole world appreciate the artistic form of
communication called poetry. As far as the psychology of poetry is
concerned, we could say that it has two different perspectives. The
first psychological perspective on poetry belongs to the writer, and the
second one belongs to the reader. Writer's perspective is related to
the reasons why he/she likes to write poetry, whereas the reader's
perspective refers to why people like to read poetry, why they enjoy
this artistic means of expression.
There can be various reasons why someone may like to write poetry and why people like poetry so much (or certain people, at least). Understanding these psychological issues may help one become a better poetry writer, but however, further research in this field is required in order to obtain the best results.
Self-expression is one of the main reasons why someone chooses to write poetry. Poetry is a great means of communication, allowing us to express our own thoughts, attitudes, interests, values and feelings. Indeed, poetry may be a reflection of our various interests. Another basic reason for writing poetry may be creative expression. Thus, poetry may be nothing more than a means of expressing one's own creativity. And by expressing creativity, we can bring meaning into our own lives.
Writing and reading poetry may also help somebody feel motivated and inspired. We can write poetry with a certain message that can help us feel motivated. Another reason for writing poetry may be the wish to motivate or inspire others. Thus, it may be quite encouraging to know that by our poetry we can help others; we can bring hope or inspiration into other people's lives. Close friends encourage each other, and encouraging, inspirational poetry may be considered as some sort of letters sent by close friends.
Poetry may also be a means of expressing ourselves emotionally. We can express either positive or negative emotions. Obviously, the most frequent emotion-based poems are that expressing sadness or happiness. Writing poetry may also be a means of expressing one's feelings towards other people. For instance, people who are in love may write poems to express their feelings towards the object of their desire, i.e. the beloved person. The most efficient love poems are the ones which express one's feelings and emotions with clarity and openness.
On the other hand, as it has been previously mentioned, there are several reasons why we generally enjoy reading poetry. The first reason may be to understand another person's feelings. Thus, we could indeed say that empathy is quite similar to the appreciation of poetry. By poetry, we can understand or imagine how another person feels, and by this we can feel close to another human being. It is essential to develop empathic skills in our personal relationships, and poetry may help us do that.
Those who are interested in the more professional side of poetry are likely to appreciate it from an artistic point of view. Some people find poetry enjoyable because they are able to appreciate the writer's artistic expression. Finding inspiration and motivation, uplifting our spirits are some other good reasons for opening a poetry book. Certain poems can impregnate us with a sense of meaning and hope, or can help us gain insights on different issues.
By turning us into creators, poetry connects us to our internal resources and changes our point of view. And even if poetry is not always a veil that could help us camouflage all the bad and ugly things in this world, it can still help us transcend them and can make us more conscious. In February 2009 when the recession seemed to paralyze Guadeloupe and Martinique, several scholars among whom we could mention Patrick Chamoiseau and Édouard Glissant, said that there wasn't any economical crisis, but rather a poetic crisis ("une crise poétique"). They wrote a political manifesto under the form of a poem.
Writing, reading or reciting poetry (out loud) could indeed be some forms of self-therapy. It can be a form of escapism, or a catharsis, a means by which we purge our inner lives from the ugly aspects of the world we live in.
There can be various reasons why someone may like to write poetry and why people like poetry so much (or certain people, at least). Understanding these psychological issues may help one become a better poetry writer, but however, further research in this field is required in order to obtain the best results.
Self-expression is one of the main reasons why someone chooses to write poetry. Poetry is a great means of communication, allowing us to express our own thoughts, attitudes, interests, values and feelings. Indeed, poetry may be a reflection of our various interests. Another basic reason for writing poetry may be creative expression. Thus, poetry may be nothing more than a means of expressing one's own creativity. And by expressing creativity, we can bring meaning into our own lives.
Writing and reading poetry may also help somebody feel motivated and inspired. We can write poetry with a certain message that can help us feel motivated. Another reason for writing poetry may be the wish to motivate or inspire others. Thus, it may be quite encouraging to know that by our poetry we can help others; we can bring hope or inspiration into other people's lives. Close friends encourage each other, and encouraging, inspirational poetry may be considered as some sort of letters sent by close friends.
Poetry may also be a means of expressing ourselves emotionally. We can express either positive or negative emotions. Obviously, the most frequent emotion-based poems are that expressing sadness or happiness. Writing poetry may also be a means of expressing one's feelings towards other people. For instance, people who are in love may write poems to express their feelings towards the object of their desire, i.e. the beloved person. The most efficient love poems are the ones which express one's feelings and emotions with clarity and openness.
On the other hand, as it has been previously mentioned, there are several reasons why we generally enjoy reading poetry. The first reason may be to understand another person's feelings. Thus, we could indeed say that empathy is quite similar to the appreciation of poetry. By poetry, we can understand or imagine how another person feels, and by this we can feel close to another human being. It is essential to develop empathic skills in our personal relationships, and poetry may help us do that.
Those who are interested in the more professional side of poetry are likely to appreciate it from an artistic point of view. Some people find poetry enjoyable because they are able to appreciate the writer's artistic expression. Finding inspiration and motivation, uplifting our spirits are some other good reasons for opening a poetry book. Certain poems can impregnate us with a sense of meaning and hope, or can help us gain insights on different issues.
By turning us into creators, poetry connects us to our internal resources and changes our point of view. And even if poetry is not always a veil that could help us camouflage all the bad and ugly things in this world, it can still help us transcend them and can make us more conscious. In February 2009 when the recession seemed to paralyze Guadeloupe and Martinique, several scholars among whom we could mention Patrick Chamoiseau and Édouard Glissant, said that there wasn't any economical crisis, but rather a poetic crisis ("une crise poétique"). They wrote a political manifesto under the form of a poem.
Writing, reading or reciting poetry (out loud) could indeed be some forms of self-therapy. It can be a form of escapism, or a catharsis, a means by which we purge our inner lives from the ugly aspects of the world we live in.
About Rhythm
The term "rhythm", taken from the Greek "ῥυθμός" - "rhythmos",
designates any kind of regular and recurrent symmetrical motion. It
could also be described as an orderly succession of regulated movements,
of both weak and strong elements. Many cyclical natural phenomena can
be said to possess this kind of general time and recurrence pattern.
Starting from microseconds to millions of years, most anything can be
measured by periodicity or frequency.
Rhythm occurs of course in the performance arts. There, it represents the way events are timed on our human scale. Musical sounds and silences are also timed by rhythm, as well as the steps of a certain dance or the meters of poetry or mostly any kind of spoken language. Visual presentation can be referred to by rhythm as a sort of time-measured space movement. Many scholars have recently initiated researches on the subject of rhythm and musical meter. In this respect, we could mention books written by Maury Yeston, Jonathan Kramer, Christopher Hasty, William Rothstein, Joel Lester, Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.
In his well-known work entitled "Arbeit und Rhythmus", Bücher writes about his having reached the conclusion "that while in the first stages of their development labor, music and poetry were usually blended, labor was the predominant element, the others being only of secondary importance." He also explains that labor is actually the true origin of poetry. Indeed, if we consider the sounds and breathing exercises primitive people made as they worked, we could say that labor indeed may have represented a primitive form of singing and dancing.
However, rhythm could not possibly be enough to explain the complexity of music and dance. Rhythm is likely to provide the framework, the articulation, the connecting principle. Nonetheless, rhythm needs to give shape to a certain sensorial matter. Rhythm can turn the musical phrase into something unified and individual, it may confer value and importance to the succession of sounds. In a way, we may say that rhythm is actually the string that bears the diversely-colored, shaped and sized beads. Indeed, rhythm needs to assemble all these sensitive values.
Rhythm is a deep function that governs all our forms of perception and movement. Some say that there isn't any such thing as a musical rhythm. However, there isn't any rhythm that could not actually be part of a musical form. That is why rhythm has so much power. Rhythm introduces in music the very life of psychological states of mind. Both intellectually and affectively, rhythm introduces the entire rich variety full of nuances of the emotions and intellectual moods; it is in fact the diverse order of thinking and feelings.
The chief conductor imposes his rhythm to his orchestra. According to Henri Delacroix, a conductor can invest time with rhythm. He is at the same time the mime and the dancer of the music performed at his very own command. A conductor's entire body actually reproduces rhythm. With one hand, he reproduces time and strength; with the other hand, the traits of grace and mildness; in his muscles various spirits spread out which within music are mixed and agitated. The conductor imposes his text upon his instrument players, and at the same time translates this text to the great audience, which can follow the movement of his arms and of his shoulders. So the conductor has the task to direct both his listeners and his musicians towards the musical realm.
Howard Goodall explains in his series entitled How Music Works Howard Goodall, certain theories according to which human rhythm actually reminds us of the mother's heartbeat heard in the womb, or of the regular steps we take as we walk. Also, London says that musical meter is related to our initial perception as well as to the following anticipation of some beats that we get abstracted from the music's rhythm surface as it displays itself in time. According to neurologist Oliver Sacks, chimpanzees or other animals are not endowed with this sense of rhythm. However, in the case of humans this sense is fundamental, and can by no means be lost by accident. He also adds that the human rhythmical performance arts could have their roots in some ancient courtship rituals.
Rhythm occurs of course in the performance arts. There, it represents the way events are timed on our human scale. Musical sounds and silences are also timed by rhythm, as well as the steps of a certain dance or the meters of poetry or mostly any kind of spoken language. Visual presentation can be referred to by rhythm as a sort of time-measured space movement. Many scholars have recently initiated researches on the subject of rhythm and musical meter. In this respect, we could mention books written by Maury Yeston, Jonathan Kramer, Christopher Hasty, William Rothstein, Joel Lester, Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.
In his well-known work entitled "Arbeit und Rhythmus", Bücher writes about his having reached the conclusion "that while in the first stages of their development labor, music and poetry were usually blended, labor was the predominant element, the others being only of secondary importance." He also explains that labor is actually the true origin of poetry. Indeed, if we consider the sounds and breathing exercises primitive people made as they worked, we could say that labor indeed may have represented a primitive form of singing and dancing.
However, rhythm could not possibly be enough to explain the complexity of music and dance. Rhythm is likely to provide the framework, the articulation, the connecting principle. Nonetheless, rhythm needs to give shape to a certain sensorial matter. Rhythm can turn the musical phrase into something unified and individual, it may confer value and importance to the succession of sounds. In a way, we may say that rhythm is actually the string that bears the diversely-colored, shaped and sized beads. Indeed, rhythm needs to assemble all these sensitive values.
Rhythm is a deep function that governs all our forms of perception and movement. Some say that there isn't any such thing as a musical rhythm. However, there isn't any rhythm that could not actually be part of a musical form. That is why rhythm has so much power. Rhythm introduces in music the very life of psychological states of mind. Both intellectually and affectively, rhythm introduces the entire rich variety full of nuances of the emotions and intellectual moods; it is in fact the diverse order of thinking and feelings.
The chief conductor imposes his rhythm to his orchestra. According to Henri Delacroix, a conductor can invest time with rhythm. He is at the same time the mime and the dancer of the music performed at his very own command. A conductor's entire body actually reproduces rhythm. With one hand, he reproduces time and strength; with the other hand, the traits of grace and mildness; in his muscles various spirits spread out which within music are mixed and agitated. The conductor imposes his text upon his instrument players, and at the same time translates this text to the great audience, which can follow the movement of his arms and of his shoulders. So the conductor has the task to direct both his listeners and his musicians towards the musical realm.
Howard Goodall explains in his series entitled How Music Works Howard Goodall, certain theories according to which human rhythm actually reminds us of the mother's heartbeat heard in the womb, or of the regular steps we take as we walk. Also, London says that musical meter is related to our initial perception as well as to the following anticipation of some beats that we get abstracted from the music's rhythm surface as it displays itself in time. According to neurologist Oliver Sacks, chimpanzees or other animals are not endowed with this sense of rhythm. However, in the case of humans this sense is fundamental, and can by no means be lost by accident. He also adds that the human rhythmical performance arts could have their roots in some ancient courtship rituals.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Science fiction writer, Ray Bradbury, wrote Fahrenheit 451 in
1953 as a response to all the book banning and censorship that was going
on at that time. In it, he creates a world set sometime in the future
of America in which books are made illegal. It is the fireman's job,
then, to set fire to these books than put fires out. The title, Fahrenheit 451,
is the temperature at which books burn. Thankfully, throughout the
book, a hero – a former fireman, nonetheless – emerges as the book
twists and turns through this dystopia that teaches readers that
censorship is a terrible thing.
The Characters
The main character of the book is Guy Montag, and he is a fireman. His father was a fireman; his father's father was a fireman. At first, he takes immense pleasure in the burning of books, but soon he meets Clarisse McClellan, his 17-year-old neighbor who does odd things like talking to strangers, taking walks, and driving slowly. She serves to make Montag think about his life and whether he is happy with his wife, Mildred, and his job. Mildred is the exact opposite of Clarisse; she isn't very smart and spends most of her time in front of the parlor walls, a wall-sized television set that takes up three of the four walls of the room. Montag begins to steal books, and is discovered by Captain Beatty, the fire captain and his boss. Beatty gives him time to turn the books in, but he does not. Rather, he reaches out to Faber, a retired English professor who coaches him through a plan to plant books in firemen's homes to start to shatter the public's view of firemen and pave the way for books to be legal again.
The Plot
Early in the story, Montag witnesses a woman burning herself alive with her books, and shortly afterwards, we find that Clarisse is killed by a speeding car and her family moves far away. Both these events serve to make Montag think about all the things Clarisse wanted him to think about, namely, whether he was happy. He discovers he is neither happy with his job nor with his wife, and looks to books for answers. Beatty assumes as much, and tries to persuade Montag to give the books up by showering him with flowery words he could have only learned from the very books he burns himself. At the firehouse, the men get a call to burn a house down, and as they pull up to the house, Montag realizes it is, in fact, his. Mildred called in an alarm when she discovered his books. Beatty makes Montag burn the house himself, and he does, but he then turns the flamethrower on Beatty, killing him. He then runs to save his life, eventually finding a group of excommunicated book lovers and decides to live with them.
The Message
There are many messages in this book, but the most important has to do with censorship. Bradbury was entirely anti-censorship throughout this book, and it shows through the firemen who try to censor books from the public by destroying them completely. In one of his long speeches, Captain Beatty describes that books were originally made illegal because too many of them offended people. Therefore, since people wanted a society in which they were not offended by anything at any time, it was easiest just to get rid of the books entirely. In this way, Bradbury was also making a case against book banning in Fahrenheit 451 and he definitely succeeded.
The Characters
The main character of the book is Guy Montag, and he is a fireman. His father was a fireman; his father's father was a fireman. At first, he takes immense pleasure in the burning of books, but soon he meets Clarisse McClellan, his 17-year-old neighbor who does odd things like talking to strangers, taking walks, and driving slowly. She serves to make Montag think about his life and whether he is happy with his wife, Mildred, and his job. Mildred is the exact opposite of Clarisse; she isn't very smart and spends most of her time in front of the parlor walls, a wall-sized television set that takes up three of the four walls of the room. Montag begins to steal books, and is discovered by Captain Beatty, the fire captain and his boss. Beatty gives him time to turn the books in, but he does not. Rather, he reaches out to Faber, a retired English professor who coaches him through a plan to plant books in firemen's homes to start to shatter the public's view of firemen and pave the way for books to be legal again.
The Plot
Early in the story, Montag witnesses a woman burning herself alive with her books, and shortly afterwards, we find that Clarisse is killed by a speeding car and her family moves far away. Both these events serve to make Montag think about all the things Clarisse wanted him to think about, namely, whether he was happy. He discovers he is neither happy with his job nor with his wife, and looks to books for answers. Beatty assumes as much, and tries to persuade Montag to give the books up by showering him with flowery words he could have only learned from the very books he burns himself. At the firehouse, the men get a call to burn a house down, and as they pull up to the house, Montag realizes it is, in fact, his. Mildred called in an alarm when she discovered his books. Beatty makes Montag burn the house himself, and he does, but he then turns the flamethrower on Beatty, killing him. He then runs to save his life, eventually finding a group of excommunicated book lovers and decides to live with them.
The Message
There are many messages in this book, but the most important has to do with censorship. Bradbury was entirely anti-censorship throughout this book, and it shows through the firemen who try to censor books from the public by destroying them completely. In one of his long speeches, Captain Beatty describes that books were originally made illegal because too many of them offended people. Therefore, since people wanted a society in which they were not offended by anything at any time, it was easiest just to get rid of the books entirely. In this way, Bradbury was also making a case against book banning in Fahrenheit 451 and he definitely succeeded.
Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Art
If you look at the words alone, it's easy to get confused between them.
'Modern' means something that belongs to this age, the modern age,
something new that excites us. A look at the word 'contemporary' shows
us things that are related to this time and date, or the present age. In
the art world, however, there is a thick brick wall that stands between
the two. The words are used to describe two distinct and yet,
intertwined things through the category of time. 'Modern', to an artist,
means a work that dates to a specific era. So does 'contemporary'.
Although modern art can't directly be compared to contemporary art,
there does exist, a link between the two. It is something that binds
them together across time, but still manages to separate them as
completely different entities.
Two Words, Two Worlds
The difference between modern art and contemporary art can be whatever you want it to be, something as technical and astute as a one-line definition, or something deeper, where you can attempt to figure the real differences between them. Know that although the difference between them might be the same, what really changes is the perception of the people regarding the difference.
Modern Art
The Birth of Modern Art
Let's take a look at how we created modern art. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, you have artists like Van Gogh and Manet, who didn't really adhere to the current art scene. The people and their surroundings changed, and so did their thoughts. What all modern artists have (or had; most of them are now dead) in common is an aversion to realism and the formalities that tie an artist to it. They preferred seeing the world in a different light, and so they chose to describe that image in their own manner. The result was then known as 'Modern Art'. In an effort to express their individuality, artists came up with their own style; unique and often bold. What we describe today as Fauvism and Dadaism are nothing but methods used by artists at that time to portray their art in the most unusual way possible.
The Creation of Contemporary Art
Moving on to the last 20 years from now, we have artists that faced the harsh reality, like the war (WW II, The Cold War), feminism and globalization. They grew up with ideals and thoughts different from what artists in the modern era did. So now you have a number of artists who consider the old methods of modernism as too conformist or vague. They now decide to make their own works or art according to their style. This gave rise to what we now call 'Contemporary Art'.
The Differences Today
Two Words, Two Worlds
The difference between modern art and contemporary art can be whatever you want it to be, something as technical and astute as a one-line definition, or something deeper, where you can attempt to figure the real differences between them. Know that although the difference between them might be the same, what really changes is the perception of the people regarding the difference.
Modern Art
- Modern art, as history sees it, is a collection of all the works of art that fall between the late 1800s (around 1860) to the mid 1900s (around 1970). For the realm of modern art, we have painters like Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne and Henri Matisse.
- Modern art is represented by works like Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Picasso and Spirit of the Dead Watching by Gauguin.
- It includes all the technical molds that were created in this period, or all the 'isms'- Expressionism, Impressionism, Post-impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism, Surrealism and Pop Art.
- Contemporary art is defined by the time it was created rather than the type it falls under. And the time is what the type itself defines - now. What you see in the present created around you is nothing but contemporary art.
- Of course, that's not the only reason to separate modern from contemporary. When you say 'this piece is contemporary', you mean it is created in the present. You also mean that the piece is something that does not reply to the conformity of traditional art or modern art.
- If history is anything to go by, then contemporary art is said to start out around the 1950s and continues to this day.
- Contemporary art is what an artist creates if he/she makes something that, even if it is inspired by modern art, follows none of its boundaries. If modern art is a mold, then contemporary art is what breaks that mold to become something else.
The Birth of Modern Art
Let's take a look at how we created modern art. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, you have artists like Van Gogh and Manet, who didn't really adhere to the current art scene. The people and their surroundings changed, and so did their thoughts. What all modern artists have (or had; most of them are now dead) in common is an aversion to realism and the formalities that tie an artist to it. They preferred seeing the world in a different light, and so they chose to describe that image in their own manner. The result was then known as 'Modern Art'. In an effort to express their individuality, artists came up with their own style; unique and often bold. What we describe today as Fauvism and Dadaism are nothing but methods used by artists at that time to portray their art in the most unusual way possible.
The Creation of Contemporary Art
Moving on to the last 20 years from now, we have artists that faced the harsh reality, like the war (WW II, The Cold War), feminism and globalization. They grew up with ideals and thoughts different from what artists in the modern era did. So now you have a number of artists who consider the old methods of modernism as too conformist or vague. They now decide to make their own works or art according to their style. This gave rise to what we now call 'Contemporary Art'.
The Differences Today
- Of course it isn't that simple; there are always more than one ways to describe art. Contemporary art pays more attention to the society, while modern art tends to be self-expressive at times. The former is also a lot more receptive to changes in society.
- Another difference is the advancement in technology. Artists, today, have the camera, the computer and custom software. They will use these to their advantage as they see fit. This makes a huge difference in the works between the two types of art.
- Contemporary art often spreads to places outside a canvas or a gallery. This art is found everywhere, from comics in newspapers to the videos on TV, from the freedom on the Internet to the graffiti on the streets.
What Effect does Personification Have on the Reader?
We use personification as a means of giving a voice to things that do
not have one, but need one. Things that can tell us an interesting tale
if ever they were to possess a mouth. In basic definition,
personification is the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate
objects. The objects can be anything the writer sees around them, from
the pen on the desk to the potted plant in the corner of the room; from
the Sun and the clouds to the earth itself. To do so, the writer needs
an eye full of imagination and a head full of the right words.
The Effects of Personification
As a whole, I will stress on the three points of reference that you can use to view a poem that employs personification.
Direction of Influence
At the end of the day, it's a literary work from the soul of a writer or a poet. What they felt when they wrote, is what you feel when you read. So it goes without saying that the route a poem takes, lies solely in the hands of the poet. A great poet will evoke the precise emotions in you, no questions asked. Which is why personification is so important to poetry. We get to see the world through the eyes of the poet. Analyzing the poem will get you what the poet was thinking when they wrote the poem.
For example, "The Sun" by Mary Oliver:
Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful
than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon...
It is a brilliant and optimistic example of personification in poetry that can describe the way the Sun can bring joy to our lives, and asks those who refuse to believe in this, whether they are now blind with materialism. In a broader perspective, the poem can be viewed as one that makes you believe that the best forms of joy in life are often the simplest of things, the ones that get taken for granted. They can fill you with joy greater than any material thing could ever hope to fill you with.
And also, the famous "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath,
I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see I swallow immediately
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.
I am not cruel, only truthful...
It is a bittersweet poem about how a plain mirror becomes one of the few, if not the only, truthful things in the woman's life. The poem describes the effect of having to grow older with nothing but failures behind you. It compares the coming of old age to the rising of a 'terrible fish', motioning towards the ugliness of her being old, being similar to the ugliness of a fish.
Creating Fiction Using Fact
The brilliance of personification comes with the thinning of reality and the rise of the imaginary. You can take anything from a spoon or a tree to even the entire universe (all real, inanimate things) and describe them as if they were acting and reacting like humans. The effect may seem fictitious, but a more abstract look at the object being personified tells us how it exists as a whole. A religious form of this is known as 'Anthropomorphism', which means attributing human qualities to God or Gods. This applies to any religion, be it Christianity or Hinduism or Islam. The question of the real existence of God aside, when we pray, we pray for our well-being to God, hailing the God as kind, nurturing and understanding to those who are good. All are characteristics of human behavior. This is one of the reasons for the use of personification in poetry - to help us understand what we did not know earlier. It is the best way to care for, or shun inanimate objects that we revolve our lives around. It helps us realize the gravity of a situation that needs to be taken care of.
A Poem in Personification
The best way to turn someone's attention to a topic is to make it more appealing. Personification helps us do that. We can turn a lifeless object into one with spirit, soul and thought through personification. This makes the object more interesting to the reader. Without it, describing one's views on the object will be difficult and bland. For example, "The wall, formidable as ever, mocked our attempts to navigate the roads" is more interesting and poetic than "We hit a dead end". The inanimate object 'Wall' is shown to possess the human characteristic of 'mockery'. Now, the wall obviously didn't actually travel there and oppose the person, it is only the way that person sees the wall.
The sights and sounds around us may not be our concern, but it is only human nature to make it our concern. Like a musician loves his instrument, or a botanist loves his greenhouse, a poet uses personification to describe how exactly he loves those things, by doing what he loves most, creating poetry.
The Effects of Personification
As a whole, I will stress on the three points of reference that you can use to view a poem that employs personification.
Direction of Influence
At the end of the day, it's a literary work from the soul of a writer or a poet. What they felt when they wrote, is what you feel when you read. So it goes without saying that the route a poem takes, lies solely in the hands of the poet. A great poet will evoke the precise emotions in you, no questions asked. Which is why personification is so important to poetry. We get to see the world through the eyes of the poet. Analyzing the poem will get you what the poet was thinking when they wrote the poem.
For example, "The Sun" by Mary Oliver:
Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful
than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon...
It is a brilliant and optimistic example of personification in poetry that can describe the way the Sun can bring joy to our lives, and asks those who refuse to believe in this, whether they are now blind with materialism. In a broader perspective, the poem can be viewed as one that makes you believe that the best forms of joy in life are often the simplest of things, the ones that get taken for granted. They can fill you with joy greater than any material thing could ever hope to fill you with.
And also, the famous "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath,
I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see I swallow immediately
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.
I am not cruel, only truthful...
It is a bittersweet poem about how a plain mirror becomes one of the few, if not the only, truthful things in the woman's life. The poem describes the effect of having to grow older with nothing but failures behind you. It compares the coming of old age to the rising of a 'terrible fish', motioning towards the ugliness of her being old, being similar to the ugliness of a fish.
Creating Fiction Using Fact
The brilliance of personification comes with the thinning of reality and the rise of the imaginary. You can take anything from a spoon or a tree to even the entire universe (all real, inanimate things) and describe them as if they were acting and reacting like humans. The effect may seem fictitious, but a more abstract look at the object being personified tells us how it exists as a whole. A religious form of this is known as 'Anthropomorphism', which means attributing human qualities to God or Gods. This applies to any religion, be it Christianity or Hinduism or Islam. The question of the real existence of God aside, when we pray, we pray for our well-being to God, hailing the God as kind, nurturing and understanding to those who are good. All are characteristics of human behavior. This is one of the reasons for the use of personification in poetry - to help us understand what we did not know earlier. It is the best way to care for, or shun inanimate objects that we revolve our lives around. It helps us realize the gravity of a situation that needs to be taken care of.
A Poem in Personification
The best way to turn someone's attention to a topic is to make it more appealing. Personification helps us do that. We can turn a lifeless object into one with spirit, soul and thought through personification. This makes the object more interesting to the reader. Without it, describing one's views on the object will be difficult and bland. For example, "The wall, formidable as ever, mocked our attempts to navigate the roads" is more interesting and poetic than "We hit a dead end". The inanimate object 'Wall' is shown to possess the human characteristic of 'mockery'. Now, the wall obviously didn't actually travel there and oppose the person, it is only the way that person sees the wall.
The sights and sounds around us may not be our concern, but it is only human nature to make it our concern. Like a musician loves his instrument, or a botanist loves his greenhouse, a poet uses personification to describe how exactly he loves those things, by doing what he loves most, creating poetry.
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