Visual Literacy Reflection

In the most basic terms, visual literacy is analyzing images. It is looking at all aspects and elements of an image to come to a conclusion about the purpose of the image, the message it sends to the audience and the artists intention of creating it. Some of these may seem obvious but further analysis of an image can reveal a deeper meaning behind it. The ability to analyze an image can be applied to any photo such as an advertisement, a poster, a painting, a photograph, etc.

While choosing an image for this project, I tried to find an image with a powerful message behind it. I considered pictures about the Syrian refugee crisis and body image, but was intrigued by the Salvation Army advertisement because it was based off a viral image. I tried to look into the differences between the purpose of the picture of “the dress” and the purpose of the advertisement. They clearly had very different messages, as one was a viral image meant solely for entertainment while the Salvation Army advertisement used that image and turned the message into a call to action for a serious issue. While the dress was the main focus of the advertisement, I tried to look at all aspects of the image, such as the background, the text off to the side, and the position of the woman. I also wanted to analyze the limits of the advertisement, because I noticed that many articles we read about image analysis did not talk about looking into what more the artist could have done to improve the image or the message behind it. Despite this, I noticed that the advertisement was very gender specific, and upon further research I found very little effort made to help men who are the victims of domestic abuse so I felt that it was important to talk about this in my essay.

I felt that it was important to give some background information on Carehaven and the dress before getting into the analysis of my paper. Carehaven is a program within the Salvation Army, something I did not know before researching it for my essay. It is a program that works specifically with women and children who have suffered from abuse, which explains why they would help create this advertisement. When we spent a class peer editing, someone suggested that I use statistics to solidify my claim that the advertisement fails to recognize the fact that men are the victims of abuse as well. I thought this was a good suggestion and did more research on abuse among men. I think this strengthened my appeal to logos, which my essay was lacking.

Visual Literacy Project

In early 2015 a photo of a dress went viral as people disputed over whether the dress was white and gold or blue and black. Overnight this illusion became an internet sensation and everyone knew “the dress”. In March, The Salvation Army came out with an ad to raise awareness for domestic abuse, featuring the dress and a beaten woman.

The advertisement shows a woman lying on the ground wearing the white and gold dress. She is covered in bruises and cuts on her face, legs and feet. She is staring directly into the camera and is the focal point of the image. The heading next to her plays on the illusion of “the dress” saying “Why is it so hard to see black and blue?”. The next line is a statistic about domestic violence- “ The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in six women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women”.

At first glance this advertisement is just a statement against domestic violence. It is a play on words, the black and blue it is referring to is not the color of the dress but the bruises and scars women bear from domestic violence. Victims of domestic abuse tend to hide their bruises and scars, whether it be out of fear, shame or embarrassment, making it difficult to know when someone is being abused. She is lying on the ground, showing how vulnerable she is, almost as if she was pushed down; as opposed to standing tall and confident. The way she stares directly at the camera with such a blank expression leaves an impression on the audience because she is not showing emotion and seems to be hiding any sign of being in pain. Looking at the deeper meaning of the image, it could also be a statement about the shallow nature of society and social media. It seems ridiculous that something as silly as a dress went viral overnight and was all anyone could talk about the next day; but more serious issues such as domestic violence are forgotten.

 
 

Sarycuse University WRT 105 Syllabus

 

 

WRT 105, Practices of Academic Writing

Fall 2015

Teacher: Mrs. DeSimony

 

Course Description:

    In WRT 105 you will write, revise, edit and reflect on your writing with the help of your teacher and classmates in order to learn more about academic writing. By the end of the class, you should have a better understanding of how your writing affects you and your environment. There will be many opportunities for you to write, and reflect on your work. You will grow and develop as a writer while you engage in analysis and argument, skills important to professional and civic writing.

    Analysis is “a form of detective work that typically pursues something puzzling, something you are seeking to understand rather than something you believe you already have the answers to” according to Rosenwasser and Stephen, Writing Analytically 7th edition. You analyze in your day to day life without even realizing it. Conversations you have with your friends make you analyze their views and opinions. You analyze current events when you watch the news and hear about developing stories. Rosenwasser and Stephen say that analysis is “more than just a set of skills: it is a frame of mind, an attitude toward experience” , you have to look for questions that are not always obvious. Analysis is important to find patterns in your own work in order to improve your writing.

    Argument involves finding evidence to persuade your audience, sharing information, asking questions and raising consciousness about issues. Evidence can be found through analysis, discussions with other people, personal experience or research. Arguments may be structured differently depending on the audience, purpose, genre and context.

 

WRT 105 Learning Outcomes/Goals

1. Writing as Situated Process

You will practice various strategies of invention and revision for different writing situations.

2. Writing with Sources

You will be introduced to primary and secondary research, using various library resources and synthesizing and applying research in accordance with citation, genre and ethical standards.

3. Writing as Rhetorical Action

You will gain knowledge of rhetorical principles and practice with different audiences and situations.

4. Writing as Academic Practice

You will become more familiar with values, strategies, and conventions related to a range of academic contexts and disciplinary conversations.

5. Writing as Social Practice

You will analyze, reflect on and practice using language in diverse contexts and recognizing issues of power, difference and materiality.

Jumpstart Unit Reflection

Prior to starting WRT 105 I thought that academic writing was very dry, with little room to show your own personality. I thought that you had to do excessive research to come to a definite conclusion and prove why your conclusion is right. Now I realize that it is not like that at all. In an academic piece, the author can write with their own style and bring in personal anecdotes without decreasing the quality of the piece. I also realized that while research is an important part of the process, it is equally important that you develop your own opinion on the topic at hand. Academic writing is not all about proving your point, but considering all possible points of view and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses.

 

I really wanted the ideas in my essay to flow and connect in a logical way. This is why I decided to explain the difference between banking and problem posing education in the first body paragraph. I knew that all of the evidence in my essay would ultimately come down to these two methods of teaching so I felt that it was important to define and explain these before I really got into my claim. From there I decided to talk about how economic status, race and social class defined the type of education students receive (banking or problem posing). I also tried to work my quotes into the essay. I have had many teachers in the past discourage “quote bombs”, so whenever I use quotes I do my best to ensure that the quotes flow with my essay and my writing style. In the end I was really proud with how I structured my essay, and I think it is the best piece of writing I have done so far this year.

 

Something else I picked up on while reading the texts was how they were all connected. Each one had a different claim, about poverty, segregation, or various teaching methods, but they all showed how imbalanced our education system is. While I was reading the texts for this unit, I found myself constantly comparing my experiences in school with the schools in each reading. As someone who comes from a very affluent town and school, the readings made me realize just how different other schools are. It put into perspective that there are so many places in the country that are similar to Niskayuna and Schenectady; an affluent school, with handfuls of academic awards and a lower class school with a graduation rate of just 60%, just minutes apart from each other. One of the texts talked about teachers keeping food in their desks because so many of their kids come to school hungry, but in Niskayuna teachers do not have to worry about that and if a student does get hungry, we have two cafeterias, multiple vending machines and a food cart in crossroads.

Anyon Reading and Class Activity

When the class was split in half, each side was clearly treated differently. It ended up being boys on one side and girls on the other. The girls lost the coin toss, which symbolized the arbitrary nature of the school system. Students across America are taught in completely different ways based on where they live and where their parents can afford to send them to school.

Girls were treated like students at a working class school. They were handed a list of works and expected to memorize them without any “attempt to relate the steps to an actual or possible thought process” (Anyon 36). They were discouraged from talking the whole time which prevented them from sharing ideas and working through problems together. Mr. Lester was very particular about how he wanted the desks lined up and even yelled at someone for having their bags on the left side of the desk. He did not allow the students to come up with an effective way of learning the words either, they had to do it his way. Essentially he was “controlling classroom time and space by making decisions without consulting the children and without explaining the basis for the decisions” (Anyon 38).

On the other hand, boys were taught like students in an elite executive school or affluent professional school. They were given food and discussed how they wanted to learn the vocabulary. They were treated more as equals with Mrs. DeSimony and she did not “give direct orders.”  Instead, her “attempt to control the class involved constant negotiation” (Anyon 42). The boys were encouraged to think creatively and at one point even thought about creating a mural. In the end it looked like they were going to make posters to learn the vocabulary because that is what they decided as a group would be the most effective way for them to learn.

This activity obviously made the boys seem superior to the girls because they were treated so differently. It was discouraging knowing that they were given opportunities that girls were not. Anyon states that the long term effect of this system is that children will develop differently based on social class and that as a result of that the system of relations in society will continue to produce unequal social relations.  

Harper High School, Part One (Podcast)

In many ways Harper High School is just like any other high school. It is well kept and the teachers care about their students. What makes this school different from the typical suburban, American high school is that at Harper, there were 27 shootings in a year involving students. The podcast clearly shows how prominent gun violence is in schools like Harper where gangs are the norm. Mr. Adams, the Assistant Principal spoke to a new student in the hall to try and figure out which gang he might be affiliated with. It’s a casual conversation and in the end Adams tells the student to use his head and to tell an adult in the school about any problems he may have before turning to violence. This exchange between a student and the Assistant Principal reveals an interesting relationship between the students and adults at Harper. Obviously the adults encourage students to think and make good choices, but they also understand that being in a gang is simply part of the culture in Chicago and that they can not end all gang activity. They have to be able to talk with their students about gangs to stay informed about what is going on outside of the classroom in order to protect the students while they are in school.

The podcast documented the steps taken to deal with the shooting of a former Harper student. As rumors fly through the school, teachers and officials have to work to give their students a normal high school experience. The shooting was gang related but it was unclear which gangs were involved. All day, teachers gather information from students as the principal has to decided whether or not to cancel the homecoming game and dance the next day. She is put in the difficult decision of hosting a large event and risking another gang related shooting or depriving her students of a normal high school experience.  This is typical of the staff at Harper as they deal with these situations all the time. It is just part of their job, but for many teachers in schools where gun and gang violence is not part of the culture, a shooting in the community could cause chaos as people try to recover. The schools might have grief counselors or even cancel school completely but at schools like Harper, students and faculty are more worried about another shooting.

The goal of the podcast was clearly to give insight to a school overwhelmed by gun and gang violence. It shows how faculty puts in just as much work protecting their students as they do educating them. Teachers have to know which gang the kids are affiliated with and how it might affect their day at school. If teachers know that there was conflict between gangs before school, then they may know why some of their students are distracted and disengaged in the classroom. The faculty at Harper High School is constantly encouraging their students to think first and tell an adult before turning to violence. It is something many schools in America do not have to deal with but an obstacle faced by Harper High School every day.