Questions about Myths

Myths

Hebrew Bible, Genesis (page 98)

1.       What is the nature of Adam’s relationship to God? Of Adam’s relationship to Eve? How do these conflict?

Adam is the son of God and made in the image of him. Eve is Adam’s companion. Adam gets in trouble with God for listening to his wife and partaking of the fruit.

2.       How does God behave toward Man?

God behaves angrily toward Man because of their disobedience. He is very protective and specifically states his commandments.

3.       What economic group does the Hebrew story privilege? Why do you think this might be the case?

The Hebrew story may privilege the Jewish population because they are the most prominent religion in the bible.

Klamath Indian Myth (page 124)

1.       What differences exist between the human and divine worlds?

It seems to me that the Divine worlds seem to be noticed and mentioned in the past, and the human worlds are what are the product of what the Gods do.

2.       What differences do you notice between the stories regarding where the gods live? Again, can you explain this?

This story explains the two different opposite gods live. The difference between the god of the underworld and the god of the skies is always a big difference in many stories we read about. These are explained by representation of the opposites of “good and evil”.

3.       In all these stories, how do the gods behave?

The Gods in this story behave negative toward each other, because of the conflict with the God’s daughter not going with him. This started the war that supposedly created the Crater Lake.

Bering Strait Eskimo Creation Myth (page 118)

1.       What might account for the differences between the original material used to create human beings in all these stories?

In this story there are different ways that humans and animals are created. At the beginning of this myth the first human came out of a peapod and his companion was made of a clay or mud by a lake. The God has different ways of creating everything. He has ultimate power to create. 

2.       What is the significance of ‘naming’ in these stories?

In this story the naming is very simple and straight to the point. Although I’m sure that that is how words begin. What if the first human’s name was Human and that’s where the word came from?

3.       How might the movement from an oral version of the story to a written version of the story affect what we take from it?

I think if I were to hear these stories told by people who are a part of the cultures that believe these myths and have had them go down through their generations, it would be a lot more interesting because of the depth that they would put in their voices while they tell the story the way they learned it from their family. I think more people are moved to believe these stories when they are told the story orally first hand.

University of Utah Museum of the Arts

Event Critique—Art

1.      Which museum did you visit?

University of Utah Museum of Fine Arts

2.      In 150 words, describe at least one of the broad collections on a theme, period, geographic region, or topic within the museum.

The whole upper floor of the museum was based on different geographic regions like Egyptian, Native American, Pacific Island, Asian, European, American West, and many more different cultures. The Asian area consisted of many stone statues of Buddha and many other symbolic creatures. This area reminded me of the movie “The King and I”. Many things were in gold and symbolized peace, strength and power. One of the main Buddha statues had him with a raised left hand to symbolize peace and protection. There was also a stone carved depiction of a wedding that took place in Asia. On a poster underneath the artwork, it described who the actual people were and also some of the symbols hidden in the stone. Egyptian area was also very interesting. As you would expect, in the middle of the floor there was a mummy tomb. But the most I benefitted from this portion of the museum was on the other side of the wall. It explained and had examples of all the things they do to the body to mummify it, and get rid of our insides. I did not know that they took out the major organs of the body and put them in bottles for safe keeping in the tomb. I spent a lot of time reading about how it is all done. 

3.      Give a brief, one paragraph (100 words) description of a special exhibit (ask the curator what these are; they are usually in one of the first rooms).

The special exhibit displayed at this time is called “At Work” which consists of Prints form the Great Depression. The main theme of this display was to display individuals doing all they can during the terrible time in history that they were in.  They display lives from farmers to those building the frame of a building. Every person in the paintings were working very hard to make a living.  Every person played their part and were always “at work.” They would do anything for a small bit of money. It is incredible what jobs were done at this time. Many were very dangerous and killed many people but it was a job. I enjoyed envisioning the people that actually went through this time period, starting with my Grandmother. I remember her telling us her own stories and not really knowing how hard it really was to live at that time.

4.      What kind of information is provided about the words? Tell me three places you might find more detailed information that doesn’t include the web {hint: ask a curator for help with this question}

What helped me the most in the museum to find out more information was the plaques they have next the pictures, or about the whole general area of artwork that link together. They also provide learning that you can hear on your own phone if you would like to. All it said to do was to call the number on the plaque and there would be a recording on the other end of the line that told you about the piece of art you are looking at. They have brochures that you could grab off of the side of the wall that also have information about the exhibit as well. I don’t think it is possible for someone looking through the museum to be completely confused on any piece of art because of the much recourses that are given to you.

5.      Choose several works that particularly appealed to you. Explain why you were drawn to these works. Comment on the subject, style, medium, time period, etc. Who were the artists? This question must be answered in its entirety. (This should be at least 500 words.)

I thought it was cool to be able to experience all of the different, marvelous, fantastic, intricate works of art. They must have taken a long time to collect and preserve. One of the first things that became one of my favorites was done Deborah Butterfield, who called it “Rex”. This contemporary, life size structure of a horse was made out of cast bronze that looked like wooden sticks. It was very impressive and I didn’t understand how it stayed upward. It looked very graceful and poised. On the plaque it explains that it is “a dressage horse, capable of the graceful, rhythmic movements of controlled, formal exercises.” It has a very fragile appearance. And I love the emotions that it was meant to portray.

Next I really enjoyed one that was a part of the same collection as the horse. The message of this one was to show the trustworthiness of shipping companies. Sounds like a weird thing to make an art piece about but it was one of my favorites. The Artist shipped glass boxes that were about the same size as the FedEx box to himself. All of the boxes were labeled as fragile. Every glass box was cracked and broken upon arrival. He set the glass and FedEx cardboard boxes next to each other in a neat design and it turned out to be a great piece of art and humor. I’m sure that many people relate to this piece of art because of their experiences with shipping fragile things.

I like how artists can do things that people have never thought of doing before. I think that is what makes them most successful. But not everyone can do that so it is very impressive to see something new. There was one piece of art that was done with strips of tires. They placed the strips in unique positions to create what looked like whirled up ball of black material.

Lastly, I loved the feel of the area with the European items of history. I have always loved looking at old vintage furniture, frames and portraits. One of my favorite movies is Pride and Prejudice. It is one that I really enjoy! I felt as though I was in that time period when I walked through that part of the museum. This was a very large section as well, so I enjoyed checking out every vintage chair, candlestick, table, and clock. It made me feel like I was placed in my favorite movie. There is a part of the movie where the main character is walking through a very expensive “museum-like” house that is filled with artifacts, statues, paintings, and expensive furnishings. I felt like that character and envisioned the movie as I slowly walked through. The only thing that was missing was the piano music in the background. I took time to look at the things I am interested in. I think I spent most of my time looking at this exhibit, just because I like to analyze the furniture and the unique rips and tears in each one.

6.      How did the artworks you looked at relate to material we have discussed in class? {they do relate in many ways, you just need to look for those relationships} Minimum of 150 words.

I thought it was very exciting to know about one of the artists because of how we talked about him in class. Thomas Cole’s painting that was titled “Pastoral Landscape with Fisherman” was in the Museum. While I was walking around, I decided to start read the names of the authors and ironically the first one I had read. I was really excited that I knew all about him, his background and purpose. I looked around and I was in the area of the museum titled “American West”. It then made perfect sense why he was in that portion. I then looked around to see if I recognized any other names or art pieces that had the same style of work. There was another piece of art painted by Thomas Doughty called “Along the Hudson”. Although I didn’t recognize the name of the painter, I did predict that this person was also a part of the Hudson River School group of painters.

7.      What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not? {Minimum 100 words}

I really enjoyed going to this museum. My experience may have been different than a lot of the other students because I went by myself. The museum was very quiet and it felt as if the security guys and I were the only ones wandering through the place. I did enjoy the silence. I really felt like I could take my time. I had plenty of time to kill and wasn’t rushed the museum at all. I also took my digital camera and took some shots of artwork that I thought was interesting or wanted to show to my family. I would enjoy attending an art museum more often because of the way it helped me relax and ponder without a time limit.

Argumentation in a Culture of Discord

The general argument/point made by Frank L. Cioffi in his work Argumentation in a Culture of Discord is that students misunderstand the argument concept. More specifically, Cioffi suggests that students have a hard time learning this type of writing because of their education and the media. He writes about students that are “using writing only as an evaluative tool, these assignments invoke the consumer like currency exchange model…Like consumerism, this pedagogy reduces enormously complex issues down to simplistic solutions: canned answers qua canned soup. Or as one of my colleagues puts it, ‘Human beings, pork and beans, they’re all the same!’” (64-65) In this passage, Cioffi is suggesting that student’s writing is boring. In conclusion, it is Cioffi’s belief that educators need to help people learn how to have academic arguments and give them the right models of thinking.

http://www.wallawalla.edu

In my view, Cioffi is right because they should teach students about how intellectual discourse works. For example, students are learning a cookie cutter format to writing. Although Cioffi might object that students are getting by with the way they write now, I maintain that he is correct by saying that there needs to be a change throughout the world and creating an intellectual alternative to writing. Therefore, I conclude that the world today is becoming commercialized in our ability to write and to think.

Easter's End

The general argument/point made by Jared Diamond in his work Easter’s End is that we are on our way towards the same fate as the people of Easter Island. More specifically, Diamond argues/suggests that just like them, our civilizations are going to become extinct because of the way we live. He writes, “Perhaps someday New York’s skyscrapers will stand derelict and overgrown with vegetation, like the temples at Angkor Wat and Tikal.” (page 426) In this passage, Diamond is referring to the state of the statues that were made by the Easter Island islanders. These statues are massive and could have been the civilization’s pride and joy, their God. In conclusion, it is Diamond’s belief that our world will slowly loose civilizations, especially American societies.

In my view, Diamond is wrong because I think our circumstances are different than those apart of that civilization. For example, they had no connections to the other parts of the world. They were completely cut off up to the point where they didn’t realize there were even other civilizations out there. America is well known and will never be isolated the way they were. I think it would be very interesting to see our own statues, monuments, and skyscrapers live the same fate. I am reminded of the way New York is shown in the movie I Am Legend. I definitely think that is what it would look like if that did happen. What I think is interesting is that one of the greatest mysteries is the disappearance of civilizations. It would be great to know all of the answers, but there is no way unless we meet them in heaven to ask, I guess. Although Diamond might object that we are not susceptible for becoming a lost civilization, I maintain that that will not happen to the United States. Therefore, I conclude that many of the mysterious disappearances of cultures will continue to be a mystery and will now be prevented because of our theories for how it happened will help us prevent all of the possibilities.

A Fable for Tomorrow

In Rachel Carson’s work A Fable for Tomorrow, she depicts a piece of scenery that goes through quite the change. This beautiful, once delighted town didn’t know what hit it. She describes the appearance of this American forest that went from all to none. As the reader we are warned that it is our fault, mankind that is. Carson describes the influence that people have on nature. There is no going around the fact that every person in their lifetime will witness this type of tragedy. This imagined tragedy that she describes “may easily become a stark reality we shall all know.” I believe there is no way around witnessing the destruction of a forest, animal, or even a small patch of land.
I am reminded of the amount of junk that we leave out in the once peaceful and beautiful areas of land. All my life I have loved going to my grandmother’s house. She lives in Murray but her house is tucked in a small neighborhood that lies at the end of a dirt road down a small lane. Her house, to me, was the little house you would picture when you sing “over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go”. Trees surround her house that we get together as a family to take care of every year, and a cute creek that runs through her front yard. I have some wonderful memories at this house. A few things we would do with my grandma I have never forgotten and will always cherish. A day spent at grandmas consisted of eating lunch with the squirrels that lived the tree closest to her house, fishing in the creek (even though there is rarely anything to catch, it was our favorite), walking across the bridge to the small piece of land on the other side, feeding the ducks walking across her front yard, and looking up the names of birds that would visit the bird feeder we wanted to fill every hour to make sure the birds had enough. Once we even saw a couple deer in her yard. Grandma’s house was the small escape in the middle of Murray, UT that nobody knew about.
Unfortunately a lot has changed in to that small piece of get-away. A large amount of homes were recently built on the other side of the creek. Soon, the man who owns the home by the bridge decided that would be a great place for his hot tub even though it legally is for the use of all of those who live in that area. Along with the hot tub, there are chairs, tables, and who knows what else. So much has changed. The animals have definitely moved on as well, because of the new arrived noise and company. I don’t think I’ve seen a single squirrel or nearly as many other animals that used to visit.
Nature is now struggling to survive. As Carson explained, I believe every person will experience the change or destruction of nature in their lifetime, there is no doubt about it.

Grandma Voorhees

Hudson River School Artists

Hudson River School

Not very many people lived, or were interested in living, in the American West. To increase this expansion and to show that majesty of the wilderness out there, a group of painters known as the Hudson River School got together and painted beautiful scenes of the West to show the beauty of it and the luxury of living in these places. They reflect the land with no worries. You don't see anything that would produce stress because of their purpose. Their paintings are very effective and realistic to the nature state of the mountains, trees, water and so forth. Because of these paintings there became a large increase in the populations, areas are reserved for creating National Parks to preserve those landmarks. They were a large influence.

The Hunter's Return Home

Painter 1: Thomas Cole (1801-1848)

Thomas Cole was the inspiration for the Hudson River School, and organized them together. His work revolved around showing people living and having dwellings in the wilderness. He wanted to portray that Americans actually did live in nature and that people can do it nowadays as well.
For example, this piece entitled The Hunter’s Return Home shows the style of living out in the open west. It is painted as a safe, stress free, and excluded environment. I believe that this way of living has completely different values than the rest of the world. These people value their family, friends and belonging together.

Rainy Season Through the Tropics

Painter 2: Fredrick Church (1826-1900)

Fredrick Church was a central figure in the Hudson River School. In his work he was "always concerned with including a spiritual dimension in his works." Church loved water and the natural recourses, which are apart of close to all of his paintings.

"Rainy Season Through the Tropics" is one of my favorite paintings done by the Hudson River School Artists. Like Church tries to accomplish, it has a spiritual, magestic, bright quality to it. As the double rainbow reflects colors along the rest of the mountain, the water brings in a beautiful natural resource.

Kindred Spirits

Painter 3: Asher Brown Durrand (1796-1886)

Asher was well known for his detail and realism. The way he is able to capture the complete details of a tree or a rock, or any wilderness for that matter, was marveled by many.

One of his most famous works is one that he etched called "The Decloration of Independance". But one that really caught my eye was one that he painted as a tribute to a fellow Hudson River School member and a poet friend that both had passed away. After Thomas Cole and William Bryant had died, the painting "Kindred Spirits" was done. This painting still depicts the same type of style that is done in all of the Hudson River paintings. But this one seems to bring them all together to remember the founder and the whole purpose of the school. It is an incredible tribute.

Decloration of Independance

Polemic: Industrial Tourism and the National Parks

The general argument/point made by Edward Abbey in his work Polemic is that the national parks should be left intact and for the people and are not developed for industrial tourism. More specifically, Abbey argues/suggests that people should enjoy nature and get out of their cars and motors to be involved with the wilderness surroundings. He writes, “So long as they are unwilling to crawl out of their cars they will not discover the treasures of the national parks and will never escape the stress and turmoil of those urban suburban complexes which they had hoped…to leave behind for a while.” (page 389) In this passage, Abbey is suggesting that as long as people are taking these efforts to get away from the stress of the city, they should get away from the stressors of the world including the car and discover the treasures of nature. In conclusion, it is Abbey’s belief that there should be no more new roads in national parks, rangers should be put to work, and that people need to put aside their motorized transportation and enjoy themselves because National parks are for people.

https://anotherheader.wordpress.com

In my view, Abbey is right because I have different experiences that have either enhanced or tainted my ability to enjoy nature while camping. For example, he talks about nature as a “holy place” and I agree with that because of the simple silence that we can find there when we choose to listen. I remember studying out in the wilderness during a girl’s camp lesson. The counselors gave us some time to just sit and enjoy the silence, yet beautiful sounds of the untainted scenery. In contrast, I went to a girls camp another year with some girls that made “getting away from the world” quite difficult because of the electronics they would play with and the inability they had to appreciate being away at camp. Although Abbey might object that the cities do not taint our ability to enjoy pieces of nature everyday, I maintain that you see nature in its purest form when you get to recognize the beauty of the earth like the stars. Here we don’t see the stars because of the brightness and technologies of the earth today. We already are missing out on a piece of nature. Therefore, I conclude that there is a big difference between using electronics, staying in the car, driving by scenery than roaming the nature on foot to really view the surroundings. You may discover things that you would have missed out on.