text (as) world + monuments ...

on "the author" ... ??

The Passenger - Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop
"The Passenger"

I am a passenger
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city's backside
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
I am a passenger
I stay under glass
I look through my window so bright
I see the stars come out tonight
I see the bright and hollow sky
Over the city's a rip in the sky
And everything looks good tonight
Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la la-la
Get into the car
We'll be the passenger
We'll ride through the city tonight
See the city's ripped insides
We'll see the bright and hollow sky
We'll see the stars that shine so bright
The sky was made for us tonight
Oh the passenger
How how he rides
Oh the passenger
He rides and he rides
He looks through his window
What does he see?
He sees the sided hollow sky
He see the stars come out tonight
He sees the city's ripped backsides
He sees the winding ocean drive
And everything was made for you and me
All of it was made for you and me
'cause it just belongs to you and me
So let's take a ride and see what's mine
Singing...
Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides
He sees things from under glass
He looks through his window's eye
He sees the things he knows are his
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the city asleep at night
He sees the stars are out tonight
And all of it is yours and mine
And all of it is yours and mine
Oh, let's ride and ride and ride and ride...
Singing...

on "the self" ...

image credit

Bennett & Royle explain that 

[...] new criticism involved a way of reading that emphasized form -- the importance of considering 'the words on the page' -- rather than factors such as the life of the author and his or her intentions, or the historical and ideological context in which the text was produced. New critics [...] thought of literary texts as 'autonomous', as self-sufficient and self-contained unities, as aesthetic objects made of words. (11)

Questions about the nature of "the self" or "a self" run throughout theoretical discussions on textuality and identity, culture and meaning (making).  Write a thoughtful blog post on how you understand "the self" or "a self." Include text, as well as other media that help you to think about your "definition."  

on reading, being read, and identity ...

"Alice"

 Sisters of Mercy

 songwriters: HUNTER, IAN

Alice pressed against the wall
So she can see the door
In case the laughing strangers crawl and
Crush the petals on the floor

Alice in her party dress
She thanks you kindly
So serene
She needs you like she needs her tranqs
To tell her that the world is clean
To promise her a definition
Tell her where the rain will fall
Tell her where the sun shines bright
And tell her she can have it all
Today
Today
 
Pass the crystal spread the tarot
In illusion comfort lies
The safest way the straight and narrow
No confusion no surprise

Alice in her party dressed to kill
She the thanks you turns away
She needs you like she needs needs her pills
To tell her that the world's okay
To promise her a definition
Tell her where the rain will fall
Tell her where the sun shines bright
And tell her she can have it all
Today
Today

Alice
Don't give it way

  Alice lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

oh, happy group work!!

In Tuesday's class, I will be unveiling your official assignment prompt for the Critical School Performance Project. No need to worry (yet!); this should be fun aNd edUCational!

In addition to reviewing the possibilities for the project, we will take a close look at the Bennett & Royle book and talk about its structure, how it works as an essayistic guide, and how you can use it to extract potential sources for use in your presentation. If you don't have the book yet, don't worry; I will make a .pdf file of the first 2-3 chapters we'll be reading. Also, see "assignments," @ right for the assignment prompt file.