Michael Reese

Comparative Literature 60AC

Professor Masiello / Tara Phillips

November 29^th, 2016

Confronting the Past: The Southern Gothic in Text

           The 20^th 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 19^th century, reaching its peak during the middle of the 20^th 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 19^th and 20^th 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 The Fall 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:

1. 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?
2. 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?
3.  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.

Volez, Scott. "What Is Southern Gothic Literature? - Exploring Southern Gothic Literature." Exploring Southern Gothic Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

WILEY, DALE. SOUTHERN GOTHIC. Place of Publication Not Identified: VESUVIAN, 2017. English Literature. Jackson School District, 2005. Web. 2016.

Winfrey, Oprah. "GENRE: Southern Gothic." Oprah.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

Futurism and Movement

Alexandra Tsiknia

Tara Philipps

Complit 60AC

30 November 2016

Futurism and Movement

            Futurism was an artistic and social movement born in Italy in the early 20^th 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 42^nd 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 First Transcontinental Railroad

Paul Shin

Comparative Literature 60AC

Professor Masiello / GSI Tara Phillips

November 26, 2016

The First Transcontinental Railroad

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:

1. 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?
2. 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. “First Transcontinental Railroad Is Completed.” history.com (2009): n.pag. 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.

Morality and the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930

Paul Choi

Tara Phillips, Friday 9-10

Comparative Literature 60AC

November 18^th, 2016

Morality and the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930

            A common theme in modernism is the moving on from traditions of old, and the idea of tradition is frequently accompanied by the idea of morality, the question of what is acceptable and what is to be cautioned against. William Faulkner touches upon this topic in Absalom, Absalom!, especially regarding the ideas of God and godliness with respect to the South losing the war.

            It is not entirely unexpected, then, that such a theme of ever-changing morality might arouse a countermovement against the change. The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930, informally known as the Hays Code, was a code of moral guidelines designed to regulate the content displayed on the silver screen, and the first general guideline of the code was written as follows:

“No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.”

Other guidelines included the condemnation of sexual perversion, the consideration of religious faith, and the prohibition of profanities.

The censorship of profanities is particularly interesting (not only in part due to the traditional taboo of using the Lord’s name in vain, thus meaning the words “God”, “Lord”, “Jesus”, and “Christ” were all prohibited, barring their use in reverence) in the case of what is widely considered one of the greatest movies of all time, Gone with the Wind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ5ICXMC4xY

The linked video contains one of Hollywood’s most iconic lines, a dramatic finale of complete and utter apathy contrasted against a desperate stutter of professed love through tears, yet the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 almost erased this line from existence due to its (at the time) profane use of language.

The film creators, including Jewish-American producer David O. Selznick, vehemently fought against the removal of the line. The creators folded on many other restrictions pressed upon them, such as their removal of all references to the Ku Klux Klan (given that the film was set in the Civil War era South), yet collectively and firmly refused to comply with this particular demand. Eventually, the line was greenlit and as such prompted the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, later known as the Motion Picture Association of America, to change the code so that profanity could be used in the case of absolute artistic necessity. This paved the way for more and more motion pictures to challenge the Hays Code, until it was officially replaced in 1968 with the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system.

Therefore it can be said, perhaps, that the censorship of art in the early 20^th century was an attempt to regulate morality. Artists, in turn, fought against such regulation as a method of expression; they wanted to move on from the traditions of old. Thus two questions, regarding the topic, can be asked:

1. How, if at all, does censorship fit into modernism? Or are they inherently incompatible?
2. The creators were willing to remove all references to the Ku Klux Klan from the film, yet refused to budge on the removal of a single use of profanity. Does this show a moral bias? How might selective morality fit with or go against the idea of modernism?

Works Cited:

• "The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code)." Arts Reformation. Ed. Matt Bynum. N.p., 12 Apr. 2006. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
• Leff, Leonard J. "'Gone With the Wind' and Hollywood's Racial Politics." The Atlantic. N.p., Dec. 1999. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
• Mondello, Bob. "Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On." National Public Radio. N.p., 8 Aug. 2008. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
• Gone with the Wind. Dir. Victor Fleming. Prod. David O. Selznick. By Sidney Coe Howard, Max Steiner, and Ernest Haller. Perf. Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, and Hattie McDaniel. N.p., n.d. Web.