Hi!
So, I have an assessment task where i need to do a multimodal presentation for the Common Module.
My prescribed text is 1984 by George Orwell and my related text is Guernica by Pablo Picasso.
Could someone be kind enough to give me ideas about the human experience of SUFFERING.
I also will paste my topics below and my "intro" (fail) but can someone help me with identifying what i should keep or remove.
MAIN STATEMENT:
"Storytelling is the most powerful way to share human experiences"STORYTELLING IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO SHARE HUMAN EXPERIENCES:
INTRODUCTION:
--ted talk about human experiences (matrix)-----storytelling and emotions aren't always translatable and there can be a loss in meaning)
The ability to share our personal narratives is a gift. A gift which we can all use to explore new ideas and experiences, capable of hooking us in wanting to learn more about the world around us. We are able to ‘witness’ the experiences of others through a wide variety of narrative forms : from novels to the visual arts. George Orwell's novel, 1984 challenges our assumptions of the way we view totalitarianism and Guernica ignites new ideas about what it means to suffer. The action of storytelling also encompasses human quality of being able to relate to others through speaking and listening, viewing, appreciating and reading. It prompts us to see the world differently and is more powerful than say a dialogue or conversation with a friend. Meaningful experiences are important in the formation and preservation of a legacy by engaging humans into experiencing the experiences of others. We become familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures. We are cosmopolitan, and more experienced/ knowledgeable. We feel empowered and motivated to express the anomalies and paradoxes in our experiences. We can analyse the inconsistencies present within human nature.
Without sharing our personal stories and opinions, we are unable to express ourselves freely and hence cannot experience the humanistic balance of emotions.“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take us or spare us.” “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.” (Marcel Proust)
Personal narratives are crucial for the development of the human experience. As sentient, social species we have the innate desire to feel and to interact in new experiences and situations that ignite new ideas within us and challenge our assumptions after having only seen the world in a specific, restricted way. Without sharing our personal stories and opinions, we are unable to express ourselves freely and hence cannot experience the humanistic balance of emotions.
"Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it."(Hannah Arendt). It encourages inquisition and the questioning of one’s beliefs.
----Individualism/ideality - individual expression, Winston is the last drop of human existence and expression, humanity.
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, may be an experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with the perception of harm or threat of harm in an individual.
ONE HUMAN EXPERIENCE: Suffering
Breakdown:
Psychological Suffering as a result of the suppression of individual expression (1984)
-Memory - 1984 reflecting on the past, the audience understanding the past and other ideologies.
Choices and motivations can be explored with Winston → writing for releasing psychological trauma (diary scene in 1984---war film)
Winston’s trauma from being lonely, frustrated and being restricted from self-expression (govt/ingsoc may interpret this as a form of protection.)
Particular about which examples to use → torture scene
Winston’s dreams and memories of the past. What is characterised by his psychic suffering?
Suffering and anguish faced in war (guernica) - politicisation of bla
-Memory - Guernica --> creating a story that is not forgotten, igniting new ideas.
Picasso is the storyteller of the suffering of people (human experience) - catharsis seems to transcend space and time. Representation
Though being suppressed by the Spanish nationalists and the attacking Germans, the Guernican citizens are actually encouraged by the event to run from their past and to express their grief, as seen through the expression seen on the people's faces. Promotion of individualism by being restricted! (PSYCHOLOGY)
We learn by surviving! ---visual representation (Guernica)
Specific visual techniques, size (SIZE -- effect) that are unique to Guernica by Pablo Picasso
Style of painting - cubism as a mode or type of storytelling
-Cubism-rearranging and capturing reality through shape (fragmentation - style that modernist use to challenge conventions and traditions. Humanity isn't simple or holistic. May different parts that aren’t always dissonant or harmonious)---modernist perspective --Picasso's form of storytelling. Artworks entice a greater range of emotion that is subjective and flexible to each individual in their interpretations
Deformity of the humanistic features -- animalistic
-1984-modernity (transformation and challenging of traditional romantic styles. Newer ways to express oneself during the 20th century.)
-distorted people dying and distorted reality (Guernica vs 1984)
Visual Artworks have the potential ability to evoke/provoke visceral emotional responses from the audience. Many emotions flood through an individual straight away in the moment. On the contrary, the books an This may be because: its visual nature allows for a more direct impact (one is confronted with the entire text almost at once). Furthermore - the "meaning"/"purpose"/"message" of the text may not be readily apparent (it may be intentionally ambiguous) and thus the audience is compelled/must bring/transfer their own understanding/emotions/experiences on/to the text.
Picasso was commissioned to make the mural. Was his purpose/intent true and without bias or was it influenced by payment? --answer would be - he would still feel remorse/suffering because it is his homeland and he wouldnt care about whos in power (unless it was a totalitarian dictatorship - cough cough francisco franco)
Wisdom/growth/individual expression gained from suffering → how suffering is inherent to human experiences → suffering ‘ignites new ideas’ and ‘helps us to see the world differently’ ---> post modernism → essential for growth →: picasso’s modernism and cubism (research: these new abstract forms of art that convey suffering leads to broader creative expression)
With suffering humans feel motivated with a sense or need to convey their experiences to the world -to achieve a state of calmness/relaxation as well as leaving a legacy. CATHARSIS - empathetic understanding.
Key similarities/connections
Key differences/points of divergence or contrast
Picasso describes a distinct moment, the Bombing of Guernica, whereas Orwell depicts a whole time period and the political climate, the Soviet Union.
Archetypes? Clear combination of multiple archetypes make a character more realistic.
Both are imaginative texts that go to the extreme to showcase and encapsulate the atrocities that the citizens experienced as a result of the government's actions.
Winston vs the Guernican people
(ABOVE should mainly be in the conclusion)
WHAT does it mean to tell stories?
Stories are a method of being able to present and communicate various perspectives, ideas, events, emotions and people in a medium which can reach several people.
Stories can be a way of continuing a piece of family heritage as well as cultural beliefs and traditions.
is the most powerful way
In order to be able to best convey human emotion, one needs to be able to express themselves better. This can be achieved through the utilisation of a wider range of vocabulary to better encompass the emotions one experiences during a situation. Storytelling is very powerful as it can reach a wider range of people, of all ages. The effect and impact stories have on us help shape our identity, our personality, our mindset/state of mind/ideology and the way we interact/treat other people. Why?
ENRICHES
to share
HOW are stories shared?
. Modern idnetity is shaped by pioneers who question the way we see and understand the modern world.
WHY do we share?
It is a human quality/nature to express compassion and interest in the wellbeing of other people. Stories can be used as a means of teaching a lesson, a form of self-expression and a way of contributing to the betterment or entertainment of society. Sharing enables us to understand the perspectives and experiences of other people and thus we are able to learn from the failures/mistakes and successes of other people.
human experiences
WHY is there a collective and individual human experience?
The human condition is all of the aspects of life that humans collectively and individually go through. The successes, failures, grief, epiphanies, stresses/burdens, smiles/laughs, tears/groans etc. Since the human condition is experienced by everyone, there is always an aspect that is relatable to a person/reader/viewer/audience. Relatability allows for readers to better understand what it means to experience something. It can challenge our assumptions about ideologies, rumours, facts, events, characters, personality traits etc. Since experiences are fluid and are thus always changing, we are prompted to reflect on our own experiences and how they have developed over time (as we age, and before/during/after an event). The ignition of new ideas is prompted by several things (explore human psychology)
There is an eternal human desire to share our experiences, to record and reflect on what we experience (writing journal/diary entries or making accounts), to rebel against anyone that prevents us from experiencing things/self-expression etc. Humans also possess "vice" by nature. We always love to explore new ideas/to learn new things and we also love to talk about ourselves! Expression is also important as it can serve as a warning or alert for social issues or obstacles one may experience in life where they are challenged/tested and must persevere/be resilient in order to come out on top. Overcoming fears and completing goals. One may avoid an experience due to the emotions that may arise and the anxiety/apprehension (talk about Plutchik's wheel of emotions and also the website in matrix book!). Collectivity could also serve as motivation as the exhilaration (use non-translatable words from matrix books)
Humans are innate social creatures. From birth we orient ourselves to align with other humans. (talk about what makes humans social and why we are born already longing for social interaction----relying on other ppl for information, resources, entertainment, education etc.) Why do we share our experiences?
The sharing of unique, individual experiences is what makes them most impactful and something that resonates with us - this includes any, powerful collective experiences that feature an individual perspective - such as that of Winston (who’s journey we follow in 1984 - tells a story of their dystopian reality)
In a sense, stories are also "collective" in nature as their forms or mediums of influence, eg. novels and art, entice relatability. However each story is individual creating a powerful yet common method of communication.
individualism/ideality - individual expression, Winston is the last drop of human existence and expression, humanity.
Proust --suffering is an integral emotion or experience a human can every have.
personal understanding and emotional response)
Sharing and discussing stories is cfollective.
EXTRA EXCESSIVE STUFF (can add if you REALLY want)
Stories can be shared through means of entertainment : (oral accounts/word-of-mouth (e.g. fairy tales and fables), film, music, art, dance, books), information (newspaper articles, propaganda, textbooks, by extension: the internet, statistics, academic papers/research, rumours, archives and official documents), commemoration (statues, memorials, sculptures, murals, plaques, parks), cultural representation (traditions, holidays, myths, legends, religion), the geopolitical environment (legislation, land topography, maps). Dialogue
There are no limits as to who may tell a story (young ppl can be more radical in thinking, and adults/the elderly can be more logical and wise), the content that is expressed (personal experiences or the experiences of others, when someone may tell a story (children---told at night to encourage inspiration and dreams).
Non-fiction texts can tell stories that are as good as fictitious texts (and vice versa).
THINGS TO ADD
LINK EFFECT TO THE FOUR DOCUMENTS
ABSTRACT IMAGERY
RESONANCE
SENTIMENTALITY
MEMORY
WATCH LISA'S STUDY YOUTUBE VID ON ORAL ASSESMENT TASKS - READ MATRIX BLOG POST ABOUT ORAL ASSESSMENT TASKS
(BE CHEESY AND DRAMATIC)
ANOMALIES, PARADOXES, INCONSISTENCIES, HUMAN EMOTIONS, BEHAVIOURS, MOTIVATIONS.
USE SYLLABUS RUBRIC AND MARKING CRITERIA---------ASK WHAT EACH CIRCLED THING MEANS
Include footage of the guernica bombing to show how picasso has expressed the grief/ destruction of guernica
Stalin e.g. add footage of context e.g. vaporisation of stalin's people and 1984 individuals.
{Propaganda 1984 from movie)
Pretend you are explaining 1984 and guernica to your classmates! Directly.
Ask really short questions e.g. how many of you do "such and such" --their own experiences (RELATABILITY of emotions and responding to things. Pain and suffering is relatable and you can ask your audience about what it would feeling like if you couldn’t express yourself in the same way you're able to do now. It'd be so hard!) put yourself in the shoes and experiences of your text.
Rhetorical devices!!!
TEXTUAL INTEGRITY
Audience reception - what do they feel? Are we motivated to express ourselves and provide an opinion? Audience's invoked reaction or relatability!
Universal themes - relating to the idea of suffering we also feel negative emotions and sympathy for the Guernican people
Organic unity - overall we are flooded with emotions and feel that the entire piece is effective in prompting the audience to see the world differently.
I APOLOGISE FOR THE LOADS OF WORK I ATTACHED -- I am such a perfectionist.
ALSO I ONLY HAVE 4 MINUTES AND IM LIMITED TO 4 SLIDES