Aha Blog 5

While working on our final project Lauren suggested an activity for us to do called Theatre of the Oppressed. It was a big eye opener to me that when we face situations we have many scenes playing out in our heads which is a big part of visual literacy. I struggled a little bit at first trying to figure out how the two fit in, but since visual literacy is the ability to interpret, negotiate, and make meaning from information presented in the form of an image. When we think and are presented with situations we visualize them in some way and from there take further action.



I came across this website that’s a periodic table of visualization methods. It has examples of data, information, concept, strategy, metaphor, and compound visualizations. It would be a great tool for someone to use when trying to figure out how to best represent an idea. By scrolling over each ‘element’ an example would come up with a short overview.

First Time Felon Review

1. What do you feel is the message the director is trying to express in this movie?  Support your answer with examples.

The message that the director tried to express in the movie is that minority men are discriminated against for any possible reason that one can dig up. The main actor, Greg, tried so hard to get a job to stay off the streets and even though no experience was necessary for one of the positions and he was completely honest with the lady hiring, she still told him that she would not be able to hire him. The crime that he was imprisoned for was not the same as some other people, but because he was black and had served some time he was immediately disqualified. Another message that the director might have tried to express is how scary the streets are. There were several times that I was so disturbed by what I was seeing and what made it even scarier is that many people live their lives like that. Greg’s best friend who sold drugs was very happy with what he was doing because he was making a lot of money without having to struggle to find a job like Greg. The unfortunate thing is that he ended up getting murdered for “snitching.” It’s a shame how some people can make so much money and be so happy by doing illegal things and the honest, hard-working people struggle so much to make a living.

2. If applicable, discuss if you think this movie has accurate depictions of minorities or if they are situational? Why or why not?

The depictions of minorities are situational. The sergeant was a black man who was ashamed of the black men at the camp. He was so rude to them and treated them very poorly because he didn’t consider them to be men like he was. A white soldier refused to work with the mostly black prisoners while the people of the town were more than grateful to have their help. All of the ruckus that happened was all caused by the African Americans and the white people were always considered to be the good people. The Latino female Captain was extremely kind and understanding with the prisoners which to me seems like it would be an accurate depiction since she could probably relate to them being a minority herself.

3. Explain if you think the director’s ethnic/cultural/professional background played a role in directing this film?

Charles S. Dutton’s background played a huge role in directing this film. He is a black man that was born to a laborer, served time in jail, and ended up at Yale. “I used to be hardcore, hardhearted guy. Once you make the decision to change, all kinds of things happen,” Dutton once said. I think he created the movie to show young men who are struggling like he once did that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that as long as they set their minds to change and do better for themselves that things will start changing and getting better for them.

4. What groups (people of color, nationality, culture, class, gender etc.) may be offended or misinterpret this movie and why?

If everyone that watches this move knows who the director is and the life that he has lived, then I don’t think that anyone would be offended by the movie. It depicts a little bit of how his life was and what he saw growing up.

5. What the movie added to your visual literacy?

I was amazed as to how much meaning tattoos had. The prisoners knew immediately who belonged to what gang based on the drawings on their bodies. They used that as a weapon and it caused much controversy in the movie. The gangs also used their artistic skills to claim their territories. The most important and memorable thing I learned is how where we come from has so much to do with who society thinks wecan become.

6. What kind of artistic and/or visual means did the director use in the movie to focus our attention?

To focus our attention the director made all of the scenes look very realistic. The storm scene was so powerful and all of the emotions could be seen from how well they portrayed it. The darkness of the building where Greg lived at the end was so powerful in that it showed how scary the place was and how one can never know what is behind the corner or a closed door.

American History X Review

1. What do you feel is the message the director is trying to express in this movie?  Support your answer with examples.

There are a few messages that I believe the directory tried to express in the movie. The most obvious is that whether we know or not chances are high that someone is looking up to us and wanting to be just like us. Derek was doing what he thought was right in the movement and didn’t think until much later that Danny, his little brother, was greatly influenced by his actions. Even though Derek had changed and became a better person Danny still had issues understanding that and realizing that his brother was wrong in everything that he did early on in his life. Another message is that it is in our nature to seek revenge. We don’t all do it in extremes like Derek, but we hold grudges when they really are pointless. Just because their father was killed by a black man Derek felt that it was necessary to punish every black man for what happened to his father. The strongest message I believe is that no matter how strongly we feel about something our views can quickly change. Derek hated everyone but the people in his circle and hurt so many people, but in the end he was one of the nicest people in the movie. Through some rough things he went through while in prison he realized that what he was doing was wrong. Unfortunately, we don’t all have opportunities that make us realize that what we are doing is wrong, but through time we can all still change and become better.

2. If applicable, discuss if you think this movie has accurate depictions of minorities or if they are situational? Why or why not?

The depictions of minorities are very situational in a way. Not all white people hate black people. Not all black people sell drugs and commit crimes. I feel that this question is tough to answer just because the depictions are accurate for some people especially during that time.

3. Explain if you think the director’s ethnic/cultural/professional background played a role in directing this film?

I wasn’t able to find much on the life of Tony Kaye, the director. I did find out that he threatened to have his name removed as the director because he wasn’t okay with the editing of the movie. It is obvious, though, that he understands all the tensions among racial groups and understands the importance of stopping it.

4. What groups (people of color, nationality, culture, class, gender etc.) may be offended or misinterpret this movie and why?

I think that people of all the different nationalities, cultures, class, and gender portrayed in the movie may be offended depending on how they look at the reasons behind the movie. It is very harsh and nothing was sugarcoated. I found myself angry so many times throughout it just because that kind of stuff has happened so much and still even exists in some places.

5. What the movie added to your visual literacy?

This movie showed how easily we can look at what someone is doing and come to admire it and follow it because we look up to that person that is doing it. We observe each other which is why it is important to realize that you never know when someone is looking at your actions.

6. What kind of artistic and/or visual means did the director use in the movie to focus our attention?

The scenes that were from the past were in black and white and the scenes after Derek got out of jail were in color. I think this was done to make it obvious to the viewer what used to be and what is. Also, it might have something to do with how our history was and the bright path that we are starting to follow.

Aha Blog 4: The Purpose of Ads

After having listened to most of my classmates present chapters of the book we have been reading and after having heard much discussion about how oblivious we sometimes are I decided that I would try to become at interpreting, and making meaning from information presented in the form of images. 

Mother and Daughter Washing Hands

During one of the presentations they showed a soap ad that showed a high-class mother and daughter. Prior to having taken this class I would have glanced at that image, smelled the soap and decided from there whether or not I would buy it. I know realize that that soap is being marketed for the upper-class and that it is just not very realistic to look like the two of them looked or to have a bathroom like that for me. The soap ad is not a big deal, but it is just an example of what companies do to sell their products.

Nail Polish Ad

The next time I went to Wal-Mart I was very observant of what it is that the ads were trying to say about the product and what the product actually is. A friend of mine went with me and I laughed when she grabbed nail polish and said that the reason why she was getting it is because “Their ad on T.V. caught my attention, so I want to try it.” I had to give her my spiel about how the ad really doesn’t mean anything about the product, but she still went ahead and purchased the nail polish. (Which I’m pretty sure costs more than the others because of that fancy ad, but it is still of similar quality as the others).