Jonathan Lethem The Ecstasy Of Influence Analysis

David Hockney has greatly contributed to the art world through his unique artistic vision. Although he is known for his strong opinions about photography, he transformed a medium he dismissed as limited. Hockney viewed photography purely as a mechanical copy. He saw the medium as not being able to express anything beyond what was photographed. Photography in Hockney’s opinion could not lead the viewer to a new form of thought as compared to a medium like painting. His criticism of the medium did not discourage him from finding different uses for photography. His accidental creation of the joiner technique created moving images. Instead of taking one shot, he would take consecutive

The turning point that highlighted the change of feelings and thoughts about Benin art started to take place after the First World War. New interest of objects, including the sculptures of Benin, was come to light. The acceptance of the African art was inescapable. The Europeans who defined the Benin art as primitive were the first who supported it. To demonstrate, it was claimed that there is no artwork without cultural content; and the society in which such artworks are produced must not be neglected. Moreover, there is no substantial difference between European art and the art of other civilizations. There is no doubt that the definition that the Europeans gave to the art of Benin was changing whereas that art stood its ground.

In a letter to his brother, the great painter, Vincent Van Gogh, once wrote,“Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it”. In this quote, Van Gogh summarizes a subject great writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson has devoted entire essays to defining and explaining, and that is the subject of poetry. As it can be seen, a poet undertakes that almost impossible job of transposing what he or she sees in Nature on to paper for others to read. Only a true poet can be successful in an attempt. It is not just Nature a poet tries to capture into words, but also social experiences and human truths. Gwendolyn Brooks (1917- 2000) and Robert Hayden (1913-1980) are two Harlem renaissance poets who are experts in writing poems the detail both African American social experiences and universal human emotions. In Gwendolyn Brooks’s poem, The Explorer, the speaker tells the events of an unknown subject walking down a hallway searching for a quiet peaceful room in which to rest. In Frederick Douglass by Robert Hayden, the speaker voicelizes that when everyone receives freedom, then the great, historical figure, Frederick Douglass will be remembered eternally in the lives of everyday people. The Explorer by Gwendolyn Brooks and Frederick Douglass by Robert Hayden can be compared and

Lewis’s impact on society bears no measure. For Lewis, the only dependable critic of a writer’s value is time, and the only reliable measure is the enjoyment that results from reading that writer’s works. By this measure, the fact that Lewis became ten times as popular with the generation after his death proves his incredible talent and significance. What our next generation will make of him is ultimately up to us. Lewis will most likely remain a controversial figure, and many individuals will twist his words. Yet it is of extreme importance that one remembers where Lewis came from, and the intentions behind his works of art. Most individuals should see that Lewis was simply a gifted writer who found pleasure in literature and writing, and chose to share that gift with the world. For Lewis, the best art “hinted at the deeper structures of reality, helping humanity in its perpetual quest for truth and significance” (McGrath 379). Lewis’s works are unquestionably considered magnificent works of art, inspired by the God who invented art

The field of criticism is one that varies from academic to absurd. There are critics in academia who examine data, creative works, and various cultural anomalies to learn a higher truth about the world. There are media critics who judge bodies, faces, and “looks.” While these media critics provide valid insight into the cultural ideals of society, this criticism has not found a place in academia (excepting the arts, where judgement of beauty is based not from the subject, but the form and medium). A third kind of criticism falls in between the two: a form of criticism that, while primarily entertainment, is an academic medium which analyzes the arts in society. Food, book, and film critics analyze creative works that reflect upon society. While these critics offer subjective views of these works through their reviews, some critics also reveal new truths about society.

Nature is easily projected onto, as it allows for a sense of peacefulness and escapism. Due to its ability to evoke an emotional reaction from the masses, many writers have glorified it through various methods, including describing its endless beauty and utilizing it as a symbol for spirituality. Along with authors, artists also show great respect and admiration for nature through paintings of grandiose landscapes. These tributes disseminate a fixed interpretation of the natural world, one full of meaning and other worldly connections. In “Against Nature,” Joyce Carol Oates strips away this guise given to the environment and replaces it with a harsher reality. To her, it is superficial and only has overlying positive associations because humans

described as occurrences shaping the development of a belief or experience. Gladwell’s theory proclaims that no matter what your values and morals are, under certain circumstances, you could be driven to go against them. Though Gladwell primarily focuses on

Taking art 1301 was one of the best decisions in my life, because I learned the true meaning of art, history plays a important part in art and there is art everywhere. I discovered that the art museum had so many great paintings and some of the artwork comes from the old times, like during the world war I and II , I did not know the museum would have amazing historical artwork. One thing I noticed is that some artist have created the same type of artwork they use one skill for all their paintings or statue for example Fred Wilson created the “ Were ancient Egyptians black,white,or brown” his artwork has the same faces created five time, but the only difference is the color of the statue. He used the same technics, which makes his art

In Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast “Hallelujah” , Gladwell describes how certain genius creations can take different pathways to perfection. He compares Picasso

Any actions that an individuals or society makes stems from their respective beliefs and purposes. This holds true especially when examining a person’s immediate surroundings compared to past context. In Leslie Bell’s “Selections from Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom” society believes women should act a certain way in according to the “old edicts about sex and love” (Bell 26) but presently women are embracing their sexual freedom and attempting to separate themselves from these “old edicts”. Just as in Bell’s piece Susan Faludi’s “The Naked Citadel” follows a similar trend. The purpose of the Citadel is to essentially groom southern boys into respectable men. However, they are instead disciplined by the

The story takes place in New York City, a place where crime is ever present and there is never a lack of action for a police officer. For example, the author states that, “Years ago the Ninth Precinct on the Lower East Side of Manhattan wasn’t the chi-chi hipster place it is now… Shootings, stabbings, and robberies happened constantly and bloodshed was a nightly occurrence” (Osborne 125). This shows that the main character, Steve will face crime and felons constantly without any brakes, making the story immensely more exciting and dramatic. Moreover, this vicious area will throw more challenges and dangerous scenarios at Steve than he would normally have anywhere else, so he will engage in more battles and struggles with criminals. The author’s diction, or use of certain words and phrases, also has a positive impact on the novel. For instance, Osborne states that he, “pointed to my perp and said, “I got a collar” (Osborne 22). This demonstrates the author’s informal use of words that he developed during his time as a police officer such as perp and collar. He uses similar words throughout the novel that only cops use in order to enhance the story and make it more interesting and compelling to the reader. The author uses diction and setting to enhance the story greatly, making it much more

Here, Alvarez is able to articulate the speaker’s want to take the piece of writing, to own a souvenir of the moment she learned about the joy of poetry. However, the speaker “[saw how] the swans dipped their alphabet necks in the blue black lake” (50-51), and “[the author’s] name blurred underwater, sinking to the bottom” (12-13). Despite being so overwhelmed in awe and inspired by the moment, and desperately wanting to keep it alive with some sort of artifact, Alvarez paints a clear picture: the speaker deeply respects this author, her poetry, and her humble work that is without boast or gloat like the other books on the bookshelf. Then, simply, our speaker “put the book back” (53). Instead of attempting to seize a permanent reminder of the moment, Alvarez uses imagery to convey the speaker’s attitude of awe and inspiration to not take book— which furthers the intensity of deep respect and awe the speaker gains from Louise Bogan, the author, earned inspiring her into her own love of writing. Despite wanting to be a poet likewise, and wanting to keep the book, she puts it back in the end. In sum, Alvarez uses imagery and metaphors to further the speaker’s attitude of her discoveries, one of them being incredible awe and inspiration for the book, then to the happiness she gains from writing— thus inspiring her to become a poet herself. She then experiences humbled awe and inspiration to not commit theft and to respect the one who gave her so much power for her own

Throughout the film “Tim’s Vermeer”, the audience begins to question what the meaning of art is, often being altered by each viewer's perspective. There are many things that contribute to the meaning of art, many having to do solely on the audience. Art and the meaning are determined by our society and each person's input, what the audience considers art. For example the way that Vermeer's work was in watercolor, work like paintings, sculptures and drawings are typically considered art. Although, when the added knowledge of how Tim, and possible Vermeer’, painting was made comes up the audience begins to question if it should still be art. Because the audience determines what is and is not art, the viewer

His poetry uses similes to show the evil of oppression of African American art. In the poem, Johnson says, “Life as an Octopus with but this creed, / That all the world was made to serve his greed; Trade has spread out his mighty myriad claw, / And drawn into his foul polluted maw” (6-9). By saying this, he is comparing trade to an octopus that is destroying art. This art is what makes this world great, and destroying it is also destroying the creativity in the world. He personifies art to add a more sad feeling as “poor art with struggling gasp / Lies strangled, dying in his mighty grasp” (18-19) and asks “is there no power to rescue her, protect, defend her” (21). Johnson personification greatly enhances the meaning of the poem because of the sad and helpless feeling towards the personified art that is drawn from it. This feeling of sadness

Ron Paul, an author and a former American presidential candidate once said that in school, “they don’t educate our kids, they indoctrinate our kids” (Paul). Paul’s comment reflects a popular belief existing in society that students are only being indoctrinated in today’s school systems. However, I completely disagree with such notion. My educational journey has been the most valuable experience of my life that not only elevated my knowledgeability on a multitude of subjects but also fundamentally revolutionized the way in which I think and communicate. Such is most evident in my writing voice that, because of education, became more sophisticated, individualistic, and dynamic. To begin with, my desire for academic excellence incentivized me