Metacognition: Jane Eyre Writing Assignment

Grouping up with Sean Sackett-Ferguson for an english writing assignment could have been the biggest mistake of my life. But it wasn't. Despite a period of minimal productivity at first, we managed to pull together an efficient strategy not unlike an assembly line.

One of the main objectives of the project was to connect Jane's story to one of modern times. Essentially, this asked us to examine the book and find the elements that make it a classic - the components that are applicable to the human race regardless of the limits of time. This type of thinking was fairly difficult, as thinking of any story within our time period wouldn't do: solid connections had to be drawn also.

What interested me about trying to remember movies or books that I knew with similar themes was that I could clearly remember the emotions and themes themselves, but never the title or specific characters in the story. This suggests to me that most of the films I watch or books I read convey to me the underlying, complex ideas very well, but I'm not as good at remembering specific plotlines or details. It was an experience similar to having a word on the tip of your tongue, it's the definition that stuck in your head well, not the letters of the word.

Looking back, our work on this assignment turned out fairly well in terms of collaboration and cooperation. There were no fistfights over the nature of a certain quote, and no household pets were killed in the process either. That alone should be enough to consider this project a smashing success.

Metacognition: Jane Eyre

Reading very dense texts can be a grueling task. Heart of Darkness was possibly one of the hardest books I've ever had to read, though not unenjoyable. Jane Eyre was slightly easier to get through, but challenging nonetheless.

Prior to starting, I will admit that I was dreading the long journey ahead: I had read the book at a younger age and I remembered almost nothing of the plot, only that it had been a nightmare to read. This second time through however, was much better. Brontë's extensive descriptions of nature and though processes took concentration, but held their rewards too.

One thought that I tried to keep in my head as I read was Brontë's personal place in history: the heavily discussed role of a 19th century woman. Knowing that this book was a classic, and that Brontë had personal experience of the life of a 19th century female, I focused my reading towards trying to realize that she was expressing opinions on social structure though her story - another subject that we discussed extensively.

One of the things I like most about art is that the creator has intent. The intent to express emotion, the intent to send a message, the intent to spread an idea. Even if I don't completely understand what the artist is trying to say, it's invigorating to know that there was an overlying purpose behind the notes, brushstrokes, words, movements, or any other forms of expression utilized.

That being said, an art piece usually can be better understood if one strives to find more meaning in it, be it the meaning that the artist intended, or a meaning that you yourself find in it. As usual, class discussions on Jane Eyre lead to places I doubt I would have reached by myself. The interpretation of a novel is a complicated process, and grouping together thinkers can create a helpful environment.

My thinking process for this book didn't change drastically from my normal approach to novels. An emphasis on author's intent seemed to help me understand it better, though it also caused frustration when going through complicated passages with ambiguous interpretations (for example, the last two paragraphs of the book). However, complexity is one of the traits that give this book its status as a classic, and I respect that.

360 Degrees: iPods

Music has played an important role in daily life for a long time now; the advent of portable media players simply made the tradition more convenient. The word iPod has become synonymous with 'portable entertainment.'

One might say that they can be viewed as fashion statements, though hardly original or rare nowadays. Purchasing one might be an act of rationalization: I have acquired the financial means to afford such a sleek luxury and now I will take advantage of it. From a more practical perspective, perhaps this: I don't like carrying my CD collection with me everywhere I go, nor do I like limiting portable access of my music by bringing only a few discs. Trying to fit in: All my friends have one and as God is my witness I will get one too. These consumers have come up with a wide variety of reasons to buy from this product line and the iPod is now a veritable icon.

The iPod can be seen as essentially a means of further mobilizing what the CD player accomplished. If music can be such an integral part of people's lives, why not make it more convenient? A form of familiar entertainment while away from the familiar home environment could be said to expand one's comfort level with being outside of one's normal boundaries - it facilitates travel perhaps. Of course, it can also be used while in the house, however the only practical use of this is to remove the limits of having to sit next to the radio.

A culture can be assessed from many facets, and the iPod represents that of technology. Civilization today is marked by global communication, transportation, and connectivity. The portability of music offered by iPods illustrates this theme of being on the move, in a constant state of motion.

While one can indulge in philosophical thought when picking up their portable MP3 player, there's no need to do so every single time. What it all comes down to in the end is the ability to hear one of your favorite tunes with a couple clicks and swishes of the thumb. No need to over-analyze that.

An Inconvenient Truth: Survival

There are a number of upcoming difficulties that will pose challenges to our survival as a race: reliance on non-renewable resources, the disturbing potential of existing nuclear arms, the world's supply of clean water, and (why not?) the Sun exploding. What bothers me about this is that our generation may not necessarily be the one that actually has to deal with these problems. The plastic bag that I throw away today may be part of the gargantuan mass of garbage that will be screwing over the future Earth that my great-granddaughter will live in. The inhabitants of Earth at this very second may never have to face the consequences of human environmental exploitation and manipulation, yet a number of them have created consequences for future generations already. I realize that there are plenty of efforts being made to address almost all of the issues that will and already do plague us, however I also realize that a perfect world will never be achieved. A number of problems will always remain, a heavy burden passed down to the future carriers of our genetic line. Lamenting this is almost completely futile and almost certainly useless, yet thinking about it still bugs me. The saying is right: we don't inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. But how do you hold someone accountable for damaging something they borrowed if they're dead already? There's only one option when it comes to our planet: Fix it or die trying.

Dialectics: Hard Work and Talent

The desire to achieve excellence, be it in academics, athletics, arts, or any other area, is something that most of us experience at one point in our lives. We want to be good, we want to gain respect, we want to be at the top.

How do you achieve these goals? You put in whatever work is required. Perseverance pays off. What changes this process a little is the talent factor: All men and women were created equal, from a moral standpoint. One can plainly see that not everyone is the same; there are countless differences and individual qualities that make us unique. In some cases, these differences can provide advantages or disadvantages in certain fields of competition. Maybe it's height, maybe it's brain development, the point is that some people are born with what others have to work for, and in some cases, something that no amount of hard work can give you.

That being said, we can see in athletes, artists, and people in general a balance: the reliance they put on individual talent and the work they put in to make up for their shortcomings. Furthermore it should be noted that no one can run on talent alone: there is always the drive for victory, the motivation to be great. The relationship between these two ideas can create a quasi-spectrum of one's path to achievement. However, there are those who can go beyond these limits: the talented who work just as hard as those less fortunate. It is often these people that you see on the podium at the Olympics, receiving a Nobel Prize, earning scholarships to prestigious schools. Almost everything that we as a race do today has a competitive environment, and we as competitors experience varying degrees of both talent and hard work.

"People livin' in competition, all I want is to have my peace of mind."

Blogging Around

In response to Bill's Best Of Week post:

Bill, I find your observation quite insightful and agree with your statements on Conrad's choice of perspective. Racism is a very prominent theme in the book and the choice of a white man as a narrator gives a very specific viewpoint on it that adds to the story.

In response to Taylor's Best Of Week post:

Taylor, I agree with your opinions on voice in terms of writing stories. Consistency seems to enhance character development by giving a steady, more natural feel. Cathedral was a great example of this.

Best of Week: Connotations of Cathedral

Titles may be so much shorter than the stories they head, but their effects on readers exist nonetheless. In class, a discussion group compiled an extensive list of connotations of the word "cathedral." While some were far-fetched, many made perfect sense and showed themes represented in the story itself.

Although readers may not consciously crank out a bunch of related themes when reading titles, reading a story would still be different without knowing the title. It doesn't necessarily define what the piece of writing is about, but it seems to subtly guide the thinking process behind the reading.

The connotations of "cathedral" themselves were not the best of the week; the idea that they mattered was.