Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist who lived from October 25, 1881-April 8, 1973. His influences in a Modernism were extremely important to its development, especially from about 1906 to 1921, when he co-founded the popular art movement, Cubism. Picasso was an artist from birth, and his knack for exploring various techniques helped to develop his unique style. He is also credited with co-inventing collages, and "constructed sculpture". Most notably, his works in Cubism can be broken into categories, like Early Cubism, Analytic Cubism, and Synthetic Cubism. Picasso loves to play with African American voices, much like other authors we have learned about this semester. His workings with these concepts allows him to explore new ideas in art that had not been seen.
Picasso’s connection to Gertrude Stein, stemmed from her love of his paintings, and ultimately becoming a collector. Stein and Picasso developed a bond, as she is pictured in many of his works. Their shared inspiration from African art and other exotic forms allowed them to conceptualize much of the plight oft these oppressed peoples. The two spent lots of time together, with Stein being involved in the process as a subject, and friendly contributor. As Picasso progressed a painter, his Cubist works began to take more of his time, and soon completely took over his style as a whole.
Early Cubism can be described as a precursor movement to the larger scale avant-garde movement of Cubism. Its origins in the early 20th century stem from Picasso’s interest in the African artworks being seized by French colonists. Europeans were enthralled by the exaggerated stories of African art, and so was Picasso. He used these as inspirations for his initialy development of Cubism, and can be noted with his first painting, seen below. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, as it is known, shows his attention to African artifacts. The two characters exemplify Picasso's response to African art especially.
Analytic Cubism, which lasted from around 1909-1913, was a style Picasso developed with George Braque. The two focused their efforts on refining cubism, with new attention to monochrome color patterns, as well as neutral colors. These pieces helped to elevate Cubism and Modernism more directly, as Picasso developed the breakdown of ideas, concepts, and shapes, and analyzed their meaning. Synthetic Cubism involved the use of newspapers and cutouts of paper, which led to Picasso’s famous collages. This movement was essentially a further progression of Analytic Cubism, and lasted until 1919. Crystal Cubism existed at the same time, and is named for the geometric and minimalist pieces at the same time.
Pablo Picasso’s founding of Cubism is important to this class, because the lasting impacts he had on the Modernist movement. Much his like his most popular patron, Gertrude Stein, Picasso calls into question what we normally think about when viewing art. His abstract paintings of people and shapes are wildly geometric, yet unorganized and minimal. Taking inspiration from oppressed cultures and repurposing them is an example of a unique strategy that Picasso played off of, in order to challenge society’s way of thinking.
Questions: 1. How are art and literature connected in this class? In what ways do writers like Gertrude Stein portray the influence of their artist peers in their work? 2. How does racism factor into Picasso's Cubist works? Are there racially oppressive or celebratory themes in his art? How does African influence shape the meaning of Cubism, and on a large scale, why would a Modernist take inspiration from this.
Haiti is mentioned in several of the
novels we have read over the course of the semester. Understanding Haiti’s
history especially the Haitian revolution that was unique gives insight as to
why the authors of the novels chose to include the small island or its people
it in their novels. Haiti’s was a French colony called St, Domingue it was an
important colony because the exploitation of slave labor, who made up most of
the population, allowed for them to profit off of the production of sugar,
coffee, indigo, and cotton (Southerland). The largest group of people living Haiti were
slaves most of them African born, then there were free black people, wealthy
plantation owners and the petit blanks who were the poor white people.(Smith) Followed
by the French and American revolutions Haiti followed suit with a series of
revolutions that not only freed the island from French control but also freed
its people from slavery. While all groups of people living in St. Dominigue
were either upset by French rule or by slavery the slaves acted first. In 1791
Toussaint l’Overture, a former slave, led the slave revolt, which until today
is considered the only successful slave revolt in the western hemisphere(Southerland).
However, it was not a revolution that occurred overnight with tens of thousands
of deaths and spanning years because as this happened at the same time as the
French Revolution, when Napoleon came to power he sent French troops to Haiti
in order to restore both slavery and French rule however they tenaciously
succeeded to overcome the French once again.
Haiti becomes the second
self-governed nation in the Americans after the United States not only that but
with its self-government, it also abolished slavery and with it any system of
inequality. Its citizens were radically equal to one another and Haiti became
the first Black Republic in the world (US Dept of State). So, while Haiti today might be thought
of as a poor, black, country it actually signifies a lot more than that.
Especially in Nela Larson’s novel Passing
the small country is only mentioned once, in an offhand comment about
something Brian had picked up from Haiti. However, to a people who are
pretending to be people they are not in order to drink tea at a hotel or live a
slightly better life the reminder that there is a black republic where black
people have institutional power and are equal to whites. In Absolom Absolom Haiti is perhaps seen as an insight of what will happen, as the charachter who seem's to be the only one to survive in the story in the novel Jim Bond is of haitian decent and Shreve insists that the Jim Bond's will be all over the country indicating that the events in Haiti had a severe impact on those within the novel. In Faulkner, the Haitian slave revolt and revolution is a reminder of a threat to the way of life of this family, a way of life that they so desperately are trying to hold on to despite it slipping away from them.
"Milestones: 1784–1800 - Office of the Historian." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Smith, Review By Ashley. "The Black Jacobins." The Black Jacobins | International Socialist Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Southerland, Claudia E. "Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed." Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Michael Reese
Comparative Literature 60AC
Professor Masiello / Tara Phillips
November 29th, 2016
Confronting the Past: The Southern Gothic in Text
The 20th century was one of great progress in all aspects
of society, particularly in the realms of industry and literature. Great cities
arose from farmland and stories of martial bravery, sacrifice, and great hope
for the future cast light upon a recovering society. However, such light cast a
long shadow, and it is within this darkness that the Southern Gothic style
flourished. Although the term was not liberally applied until the movement was
well developed, Southern Gothicism set its roots in the late 19th century, reaching its peak during the
middle of the 20th century(Kornegay, "The Evolution of the Southern Gothic"), therefore following a similar timeline
to the rise of the Modernist movement. Indeed, the Southern Gothic movement
parallels the Modernist movement, and while at first may seem the antithesis of
the Modernist interpretation of the turning century, engages in a great deal of
mimesis regarding the major tenets of the Modernist thought. In reality, Modernism
and Southern Gothicism are two sides of the same coin, an intersecting duality
that when examined in detail reveals the true picture of society during the 19th and 20th centuries.
What is Southern Gothicism?
At
its core, Southern Gothicism is a derivative of the parent Gothic movement,
which originated in 1764 (Mullan, "The Gothic"). Primarily, Gothicism concerned itself with
exploration of the supernatural in dark and foreboding settings. However, classical
Gothicism, showcased by works such as The
Castle of Otranto, was more of a convenient juxtaposition of dark motifs with
plot elements in order to further the message of the author. However, second
wave Gothicism enhanced the aesthetic value of Gothic images by attributing
significance to the themes themselves(Mulan, "The Gothic"). Titles such as Frankenstein and Dracula were
some of the first texts to utilize gothic imagry to represent oppressive themes
in the general human condition rather than for simple literary fluff. Southern
Gothicism was born out of this second wave Gothicism, but sought to use Gothic
motifs for the larger purpose of societal criticism and exploration of unique
problems in the American South. As such, Southern Gothicism enjoys the
privilege of a pseudo-fantasy setting—placing reality against the supernatural
as a means of highlighting certain qualities within the living through the
dead (Winfrey, "Genre: Southern Gothic"). Southern Gothicism was conceptualized by writers such as Edgar Allen Poe
in stories such as TheFall of the House of Usher in which the
Southern drive for purity is demonized and results in the fall of an
aristocratic family, a message seemingly commenting on the waning power of the
American gentry. His work served to inspire others, culminating in Falkner who
is generally hailed as the champion of Southern Gothicism and of Southern
literature in general, evident through his writings including the famous “A
Rose for Emily” and, of course, Absalom,
Absalom!. Today, Southern Gothicism continues to permeate popular culture
showing its adaptability and widespread relevance through appearances in shows
such as American Horror Story: Coven.
This demonstrates the potency of Southern Gothic themes and the apparent
American preoccupation with what once was.
Elements of Southern
Gothicism
Southern
Gothicism primary concerns itself with expanding upon the major motifs of its
parent movement. There is a distinct focus on the supernatural, particularly on
ghosts and specters to contrast the past with the present in order to highlight
decay and a general decline in the ephemeral “Southern Way of Life” (Kornegay, "The Evolution of the Southern Gothic"). The use of
the supernatural is meant to disturb, but not introduce fantasy into the
narrative as realism is paramount to the success of the text. In the same vein,
there is a focus on the grotesque as a means of showing decay, which can take
the form of physical or verbal appeals regarding southern culture (Daley, "Southern Gothic"). Similarly,
the concept of Brokenness is meant to reflect many of these common themes and
often is a central motif in many texts (Daley, "Southern Gothic"). All of these themes are usually wrapped
in irony, suspense, or disturbing events in order to communicate a certain
message to the reader while maintaining the integrity of the genre.
Haunter of Ruins- Clarence John Laughlin
The Masks Grow to Us- Clarence John Laughlin
Gothicism and Modernism: Competing Views of Modernity?
Gothicism is to the past while Modernism is to the future. In many ways,
this perception constructs the two literary movements as polar opposites.
Although the delivery may differ, the two movements share similar
characteristics with a fair amount of overlap. In particular there is a
preoccupation with the past, in which previous events are made to haunt the
characters and shape their current and future perceptions. Such is the case in Absalom, Absalom! where Sutpen attempts
to escape his past, yet is plagued by the arrival of Charles Bon. The same is
true of the classic Modernist text The
Great Gatsby where Gatsby, despite all his wealth and power, is unable to
escape his humble past as well as is affection for Daisy. Although not overtly
acknowledged in Modernist texts, the past is still an ever-pressing force on
the future and frequently surfaces in the narrative in a similar way to how the
past plays a role in Southern Gothicism. Similarly, both ideologies focus on a candid
portrayal of society in contrast to the romantic views of patriotism and
horror. An example of such in gothic literature is O’Conner’s “Good Country People”
which uses irony coupled with semi-humorous yet believable scenario to
illustrate its message. Although of a different subject, Hemmingway’s “On the
Quai at Smyrna” uses gritty realism to rebel against romantic notions of war.
In many respects, Southern Gothicism and Modernism have the same objective: to
show that society’s romantic perceptions are fantasy and should not be applied
to contextual analysis of society. Where the two ideologies truly differ is in
their reaction to the observed situations: Southern Gothicism usually remains pessimistic
to change while Modernism idealizes it, revealing fundamental differences in
how the authors believe reality should be perceived and interpreted. Conclusion
In
many ways, Southern Gothicism is representative of the darker side of America
literature, focusing and exploring themes and contemporary issues that are
typically marginalized by other literary groups. The fact that Southern
Gothicism is still a popular medium of expression in the modern era is a testament
to its relevance and ability to explore contentious issues such as race and
class. Perhaps it is now more than ever that Southern Gothicism is needed in the
American literary canon as a way to assist us in understanding societal
developments seemingly outside our control. Ultimately, Southern Gothicism was
a movement that while never achieving the popularity and recognition the
modernist movement did, provided a new way of examining societal developments.
Maybe it is in light of the current societal dynamic that Southern Gothicism
will truly shine, and take its place among the most important literary
movements of all time.
Questions:
Do you think that Southern Gothicism and
Modernism are compatible movements? Is it possible for a novel to be a part of
both ideologies? What other shared elements do you see between the two schools?
What differences?
What do the elements of Southern Gothicism
confer to the reader about the culture of the United States? Of the world? How
do the elements of traditional Southern Gothicism highlight different societal
problems?
Does literature have to be written
about/in the South to be considered Southern Gothic? Is the questions and
commentary prevalent in Southern Gothicism unique to the South?
Works Cited
Kornegay, Jamie. "The Evolution Of Southern
Gothic." The Huffington Post
n.d.: n. pag. Print.
Meek, A.J. "Clarence John Laughlin Prophet
without Honor." Clarence John
Laughlin: Prophet without Honor. University of Mississippi Press, n.d. Web.
01 Dec. 2016.
Mullan, John. "The Gothic." The British Library. The British
Library, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.
Futurism was an artistic and social
movement born in Italy in the early 20th century and a by-product of
the modernist movement (“Futurism”). It is thought that the publishing of The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism
by poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1909 marked the beginning of the movement
(“What is Futurism”). Futurism developed first in Italy and then spread to other
countries such as Russia and England (“What is Futurism”). It was a
multi-faceted movement and expressed ideas about art, architecture, politics
and society in general (“What is Futurism”).
The main inspiration for futurism was
modern age and the technological advances that came with it, such as the airplane
and the train (“What is Futurism”). Futurism viewed industrialization
and the development of machinery as man’s triumph over nature (“What is Futurism”).
The movement embraced modernity and all its features including speed,
technology, noise, pollution, color, machines and the force of the city (“What is Futurism”). Much like modernism, futurism questioned
the status quo as well as any moral and ideological limits set by its
predecessors (“Futurism”). Futurism however pushed a little
further; it rejected anything that was not a product of the present, including older
forms of art as well as previous social and political ideologies (“Futurism”;
“What is Futurism”). It declared war on everything old, because according to
the movement, only by ridding society of the old could there possibly be space
for creative triumph (“The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism”). Futurists’
main aim was to provoke the audience, and to embrace of modernity (Willette). This
wish to push the boundaries of taste succeeded: the public uproar at futurist
exhibitions and performances were so intense that the authorities were asked to
intervene sometimes (Willette).
The
main element evident in futurist art was dynamism and strong movement
(Willette). Inspired by the movement of the airplane and the train as well as speed
and light, futurists created works of art where movement was broken down into a
blur of consecutive actions to indicate speed (Willette). Most art pieces
demonstrated fragmented forms and colors (Willette), which blended together to
indicate dynamic movement. One of the most famed products of futurism was
“Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash” by Giacomo Balla (Lubbock). The artist
emphasizes movement through the painting of multiple legs on both the dog and
its walker, as well as multiple leashes (Lubbock).
Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash– Giacomo Balla
Another
great example is “The City Rises” by Umberto Boccioni. Here we see the workers
of a city trying to tame a wild horse (Cogswell). The painting is drawn in a
way that the viewer does not get a snapshot of a certain moment in time
(Cogswell). Instead, the blurred outlines and brush strokes capture the
movement of the workers and the horse and thus depict the force and speed of the scene. It is
not a static depiction, but rather a depiction of an ever-changing and moving
scene.
The City Rises - Umberto Boccioni
Futurism’s
wish to push boundaries and question the status quo is reminiscent of the way
in which the modernist authors we have studied have also challenged the limits
of literature and have changed the way we think of the novel. Another
interesting parallel is the strong emphasis on movement, which is evident both
in futurist works such as the ones above, but also in some of the literary
works we have studied. For example, throughout The 42nd Parallel, Dos Passos describes the constant
movement of the characters from one place to the next in their attempt to
fulfill their aspirations. He also switches between stories multiple times in
the novel, thus switching between locations. This constant movement gives the
novel an element of fluidity and blurs the linear temporality of the story.
Similarly, Zora Neale Hurston in Their
Eyes Were Watching God shows the movement of Janie from one place to the
next, with every location indicating a new chapter in her life. Perhaps this
constant movement represents the constant development and change of the
industrialized world and symbolizes the move away from the old and towards the
new.
Discussion Questions:
1. Futurism places special emphasis
on dynamic movement. What about the movement present in some of the works we
have read is fundamentally modernist?
2. What are some other ways in which
the authors we have studied portray movement in their work?
Works
Cited
Cogswell,
Helen D. "Umberto Boccioni - The City Rises - Distorted." Distorted.
N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
"Futurism."
Design Is History. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
"What
is Futurism." Futurism - Styles & Movements - Art in the
Picture.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Lubbock,
Tom. "Great Works: Dynamism of A Dog on a Leash (1912) Giacomo
Balla." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 03
Sept. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
"The
Founding and Manifesto of Futurism." Italian Futurism. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Willette,
Jeanne. "Defining Futurism: Futurism as the Avant-Garde." Art History
Unstuffed. N.p., 08 Apr. 2011. Web. Nov.-Dec. 2011.
The late 18th to early 19th century could be argued to be one of the most socially dynamic periods of American history. At the time, many Americans left their rural lives into cities in search of industrial work. With the influx immigration, overall population of the country grew more ethnically diverse (history.com). And with the development of new entertainment technologies like the radio, the concept of popular culture began to have significant impacts on social norms and identity (Media, Understanding). However in the midst of all the vibrant societal changes, Modernists contemplated and struggled to find meaning in it all. These modern era avant guards wanted to somehow define the new identity of the United States. They wanted to find the new voice of America. For modernist Dos Pasos, he believed that the voice can be found by following the lives of class symbolic characters that travelled across the nation for new opportunities and wealth. And the single transportation development that had the most effect on enabling the characters to move throughout the nation was the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
During the early to mid 19th century when railroads were being laid all over of the east, talks of creating a railway line that connected the wild west and the urban east were prevalent (history.com). However only until the discovery of lucrative gold reserves in the west did politicians and businessmen take the transcontinental railroad seriously (history.com). Some of the incentives for the project included allowing the growing populations in the west access to lively goods and industrial material from the east and the mined gold to be brought back to the east. With the executive support of President Lincoln who believed that the transcontinental railroad would be a positive development for the country, Congress passed a series of acts known as the 1862 and 1864 Pacific Railway Acts that financially incentivized companies to invest into the project (history.com). The acts provided private railroad companies the opportunity to receive huge government subsidized cash rewards and land grants for laying tracks across the nation. But before companies could embark on the task, the issue companies had to solve first was to identify what route to take. On the western end, the “Big Four” which included investors Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Charles Crocker, and Mark Hopkins of the Central Pacific decided upon using the route Theodore Judah found after surveying the land (lindahall.com). On the eastern end, the Union Pacific decided on using the route that Greenville Dodge and Peter Dey surveyed (lindahall.com). Combined, the first transcontinental railroad route had been finalized to pass through Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California.
Both companies faced many challenges along the way. The Union Pacific main workforce comprised mainly of Irish immigrants and Civil War Veterans. The Union Pacific faced series of attacks from Native Indians and lawless bands and harsh winter conditions while laying tracks westward through the American plains and deserts (lindahall.com). The Central Pacific had more trouble initially finding workers. Unlike the Union Pacific, the eastern Irish workers were too far east to bring to the west for work. Thus the company managers at various points tried to hire freed African Americans, Mexican immigrants, and even Confederate prisoners. After seeing all attempts at hiring these groups fail, the company decided to hire Chinese immigrants (lindahall.com). While the company doubted the physique of the Chinese in enduring the type of labor demanded, the Chinese ended up showing exceptional endurance and dedication to the often dangerous job . This caused the Central Pacific’s workforce to be comprised up to 80% of Chinese workers that managed to face daunting tasks of setting tracks eastward through mountains, ravines, and winter blizzards (lindahall.com).
After arduously pushing through their respective difficulties for six years, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific met at Promontory, Utah (history.com). A Golden Spike was used to finally complete the first transcontinental railroad that totalled to 1,912 miles of railroad line (pbs.org). With the completion of the first transcontinental railroad the vast nation was made more connected than ever before and spurred unprecedented growth. Travelling across the United States could only take a few days rather than couple of months (history.com. Resources from East and West could expediently be transported for development. Immigrants and unemployed in the east started to move in vast numbers to the west in search of greater opportunities (pbs.oeg). However with understanding that the country was now connected with thousands of miles of steel, a new sense of optimism of unity spread throughout the United States. The May 11, 1869 New York Times issue described that moment as “The long-looked-for moment has arrived. The construction of the Pacific Railroad is un fait accompli. The inhabitants of the Atlantic seaboard and the dwellers on the Pacific slopes are henceforth emphatically one people.” In the end while the tracks did not provide modernists such as Dos Passos the answer to what the singular voice of the nation was, the railroads did manage encourage modernists to continue looking for the it. The sheer symbolism of the newly connected United States gave the sense that while the nation’s people was diverse with various ethnic, cultural, and even political backgrounds there still existed a mutual desire to find unity amongst it all. This desire in this case seemed to have been expressed through the momentous completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
Questions:
Other than connecting more people in the country, what other social effects might the completion of the transcontinental railroad have on the country’s population?
Do you think the new transportation mediums such as the transcontinental railroad encouraged or discouraged the development of individuality in the growing mass of the United States?
Works Cited
American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
History.com Staff. "U.S. Immigration Before 1965." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Library, Linda Hall. A brief history of the pacific railway - the transcontinental railroad. 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Media, Understanding, et al. 7.3 Radio’s Impact on Culture. N.p.: Flat World Knowledge, 2007. Web. 2 Dec. 2016.
Network, The Learning. “May 10, 1869 | First Transcontinental Railroad Is Completed.” The Learning Network. The Learning Network, 10 May 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
org, CPR R. First transcontinental railroad - central pacific railroad photographic history museum. 1999. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
