Semiotics

Sign = Signifier + Signified

I researched Semiotics and the definition in the Dictionary says that it is “the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation”. It’s a Greek word for “observing of signs”.

I also scroll through Wikipedia, although I know it’s said that it isn’t a reliable source. I came across a few names that study semiotics, I believe they’re called semioticians. Umberto Eco was the first one. He suggests that every cultural phenomenon may be studied as communication.

The other name was Ferdinand de Saussure, he was a Swiss semiotician. He was one of two major founders of semiology. He believed that “the relationship that exists between the signifier and the signifier is purely arbitrary and analytical”.

Consider the sign of a crop circle photograph

The crop circle is a pattern creating by flattening the crop. They first came about in 1966 when a farmer claimed to have seen a “flying saucer” rise from his land. The ‘signifier’ is the patterns within the crop circle. The ‘signified’ is the power they have over our mind, making us question if its extra-terrestrial.

PLACE – Room Three: Fantastic

Most crop circle researchers – or cerealogists – believe the patterns to be produced by extra-terrestrial or paranormal forces, a belief no doubt suggested by the fact that most of the major patterns are found in Wiltshire, traditionally the home of English paganism and New Age mythology, and the site of numerous ancient earthworks such as Silbury Hill and Stonehenge, as well as the Alton Barnes White Horse, cut into a hillside.
Dean and Millar, 2005 , pg. 80

Part 3:2 – Film Posters

For this exercise, I was asked to choose a film and the poster that comes with it. I have chosen my all time favourite gangster movie by Guy Ritchie. I will be considering how the typography, colour, image, and composition are used to reflect the film.

I will start by saying that the typography used is simple yet effective. The word ‘snatch’ is quite large, it takes up the first quarter of the cover. It’s bold but in lowercase which gives the impression it will be comedic. The word itself is a big giveaway as to what the film may consist of, it implies robbery. The background colour is white which is plain but it emphasizes the characters more. Brad Pitt is the main character in this film and we know that because he is stood slightly forward to the rest. He divides the left from the right implying that they could be enemies. The left side are suited up with swept back hair, these combined with the body language highlight that they are gangsters. I see Vinnie Jones on the left side, he is typically associated with the crime genre and is seen as a ‘hardman’. The poster introduces the main characters in the film. It suggests the film has a gangster theme within the crime genre. The Staffordshire Terrier also helps to emphasize this. All these elements communicate the genre of the film which is crime or gangster. The kind of story we can expect would involve stealing, fighting, guns, gangs.

Comparing Opening Credits to the Programme Itself

This is the opening credits to the US programme called Power. It mainly shows moving shots of large buildings, diamond rings, tailored suits, guns, money, drugs and women. Already just by watching the credits you know what it’s going to be about. All these elements connote the city life and crime which is what the programme is about. It emphasizes the gangster rich and glamorous life.

They say this is a big, rich town
I just come from the poorest part
Bright lights, city life, I gotta make it
This is where it goes down
I just happen to come up hard
Legal or illegal, baby, I gotta make it

This is the chorus from the backing track of the opening. This is the first thing you hear when the programme starts and it has a lot of hints about how the episodes will look “legal or illegal”.

Part 3:2 – Mixed Messages

1: This choice of font kind of looks medieval or historical. Personally I think that it doesn’t look welcoming at all . The wrong font was used and it definitely gives off the wrong impression unless the place has a medieval theme.

2: This one is more acceptable as it’s a warning, therefore the text being in capitals emphasizes the instructions.

3: This font is basic yet professional, however, it could only be used in certain things such as letters and other formal texts.

4: Wrong font used again depending on where it’s used, however, it looks like it could be in a spa or a tropical holiday.

5: Standard font, sweet and simple, can be used almost anywhere. However, I wouldn’t use it to write ‘hand made’ because you can tell it is computer font. I would use a font that looks like its been handwritten.

Other Examples:

This font compliments what the text is trying to portray. It is simple yet exciting.

This font has been used very effectively as it has taken the shape of the orange. It’s still bold and easy to read.

On the other hand, this font contradicts the text as its traditionally known for historical times.

Part 3:1 – Identifying Visual Communications

1. Persuasion

Persuasive visual communications aims to convince, entice or direct the viewer for commercial, political or social ends.

This advert was designed to entice you to buy a bottle with your name on. It becomes more personal and it’s like a challenge for the audience to find their own name.

https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/stories/share-a-coke [accessed 15/10/19]

This is a website for Water Aid. A charity that supplies water to those who need it most. They have this website and also TV adverts that convince you to donate through emotional persuasion by showing you images or videos of unhealthy people in poor countries.

https://www.wateraid.org/uk/ [accessed 15/10/19]

This is an advert you would find in a magazine or newspaper, or even on cigarette packaging. It’s purpose is to persuade and encourage you to quit smoking and lead a healthier life.

hhttp://graphicdesignjunction.com/2012/07/50-worlds-best-products-print-ads/ [accessed 15/10/19]

2. Information

Many visual communications are about delivering information in some way.

Fire Exit
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996

This is a sign that informs you that this is a fire exit. It’s simple and alerts you instantly. You would normally find it in most exits whether it be a block of flats or a shop.

https://hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/l64.pdf [accessed 16/10/19]

This is a newspaper article from The Guardian that gives you information about Brexit. Adverts or articles in the newspaper is a different way of communicating information or content.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/15/brexit-may-scrambles-to-get-support-for-her-deal-ahead-of-vote-next-week-politics-live?page=with:block-5c8b38aee4b016d23425c412 [accessed 16/10/19]

This is a book that tells you how to do something. There are loads of different guides for various things and they all have information on how to complete a task.

At: Google Images

3. Identity Design

This consists of creating a particular emotive response with a brand identity.

This is a poster from the 1930’s that advertise the Fiat brand for cars. It has the distinctive Fiat typography for easy recognition.

https://www.bridgemaneducation.com/ [accessed 18/10/19]

This is a gambling advert that is clearly recognisable due the consistent use of the brand colours. Ray Winstone is the face of this brand so people immediately associate him with them.

4. Authorial Content

Focuses on generating new and engaging content that aims to entertain or educate.

Comic cat, with succulent mice and birds
(colour litho), Bridgeman Education

5. Interactive Design

Interactive content requires viewers to actively engage and participate with the content usually by tapping or swiping.

These are the touchscreens in McDonalds that allows the viewer/customer to interact and place their order. It gives more control to the audience.

6. Alternative Messages

Visual communications can also be used as a tool for protest or creating identities.

Like said in the title, this is an alternative way of communicating a message. Lots of people gather together with banners and posters protesting for things to change.

Assignment 2

The Kite Runner PG 1 – Khaled Hosseini

“December 2001

I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.

One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him. Standing in the kitchen with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn’t just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins. After I hung up, I went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early-afternoon sun sparkled on the water where dozens of miniature boats sailed, propelled by a crisp breeze. Then I glanced up and saw a pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park, over the windmills, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home. And suddenly Hassan’s voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the harelipped kite runner.” – 245 words, pg.1

This extract is taken from the opening chapter of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 2003. The novel itself is a father-son story that emphasizes the familial aspects of the narrative, it tells the story of a friendship between two boys growing up in Afghanistan. In this essay, I will be carrying out a close-reading of the extract and discuss my feelings and interpretations of the piece. I will consider elements such as plot, structure, character, point of view and language techniques. I will also discuss possible themes of time and place and the narration used.

When reading the piece, the first thing I noticed was how personal it felt. The use of the first-person narrative can be effective because it gives a sense of closeness to the character. We, as the audience, witness what the character sees through their point of view. However, as I read further into the novel, I realized that the narrative changes when the letters are being read and sent. The novel is temporarily being told through the letters from someone else’s point of view. I think its essential for the point of view to be correct as it contributes to a deeper understanding of the plot.

Khaled Hosseini opens the novel with a nameless main character remembering something from his past, an event that happened in 1975. Opening the novel with a flashback provides critical information to the characters history and how the past can effect the present. This event is unknown to the reader at this point, which pulls us in to read more. The details are vague but we know that this memory is significant to the novel as it’s the first thing that is mentioned. An event that has haunted this character for twenty-six years, despite his attempt to redeem himself. He receives a phone call from his “past of unatoned sins”; this helps to emphasize the guilt that he has felt all these years because it means he has sins that he needs to make amends for. The “pair of kites, red with long blue tails” is mentioned in the beginning to emphasize the significance of these throughout the novel but it also highlights the guilt that lies behind them. He refers to the kites as “a pair of eyes” and then he hears Hassan’s voice. This could imply that someone or something is always watching over him. The narrator also calls Hassan the “kite runner” in the extract. This suggests that Hassan plays an important role in the novel. Further into Chapter 1, Rahim Khan’s words echo in the narrators head… “There is a way to be good again”. This quote is significant throughout the rest of the novel; where redemption comes into play. The quote may be implying Rahim Khan could assist the narrator to redeem himself and be forgiven if he was to help him out in Afghanistan. This is possibly the narrator’s opportunity to come to a closure and forget about the event from the past.

The extract has many different themes that continue throughout the novel. The main one being friendship. As we have read in the extract, his friend “Rahim Khan” is mentioned. The name “Hassan” is also mentioned but it doesn’t state the relationship between the two, however, we get the impression that he could be a family member or friend due to the main character hearing Hassan’s voice in his head from the past. Another theme I could pick out would be guilt. It is strongly shown within the extract and the reader begins to feel the same emotions. The way the narrator describes his past, it sounds like he is guilty of something he may have done. I found a review by Hill, 2003 at the Guardian and she quotes “Amir’s story is simultaneously devastating and inspiring”. When the readers read this novel they begin to recognize the character’s emotional state so they are devastated that this event could happen but feel inspired to raise awareness of common issues of identity. You could say the novel explores themes of time as it refers to the past and the present like a flashback: “one-day last summer” and “in the winter of 1975”. Likewise, it explores themes of place. The narrator stated Pakistan, which we could assume, would be from his childhood and San Francisco where he lives now as an adult in a new life. The juxtaposition of the place is key; both Afghanistan and the US are mentioned, not only to build suspense but to establish the power of the past and how it affects the present.

I noticed that the extract raises more questions than answers and I believe its because nothing is identified in this short text which creates suspense for the audience. It makes you feel intrigued to read on and find the answers to the questions. The first question to be asked is who is the narrator? Does he have a name? By using a nameless character it prevents the readers from getting emotionally attached but it also keeps it vague which allows the reader to experiment. Are they male or female? I know the brief summary of the novel so I know that he is a male. What past problem is he talking about? How does it involve him? Who is Rahim Khan? What is in Pakistan? How are San Francisco and Pakistan related? Who is Hassan? What is kite running? There are many questions to be asked about this extract because it is so vague. The answers will come further into the novel.

The imagery that Hosseini has used creates a sense of peace: “floating” “danced” and “sparkled”. This makes me question why he has used this imagery here as he refers to the past being so negative. He has tried to redeem himself in the past so maybe he is trying to stay positive. But no matter how hard he tries to bury it, “the past claws its way out”. This highlights the constant reminders of the secret he’s kept hidden all these years. The language of the extract paints a picture of how the rest of the novel will look. Hosseini has used quite a descriptive language and visual imagery to help underline the importance of the plot. A variety of poetic devices are used within the extract. For example, the author has used alliteration “sun sparkled”; this creates rhythm in the extract. I believe symbolism is used when the narrator mentions the kites. The name of the novel is The Kite Runner so mentioning the kites in the beginning, is a symbol. The author has also used a simile in the extract: “like a pair of eyes,” this is useful as it creates vivid imagery for the reader. Hosseini has used foreshadowing in this extract and during the remainder of the novel. It is narrated by an older version of the character reflecting on his life in which the events that are being foreshadowed connect both his childhood and adulthood together.

In conclusion, my close reading of Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, has underlined the themes of time and place and how the narration used effects the text. The first chapter brings a focus to some of the main characters and
introduces the plot. Hosseini efficiently creates uncertainty within the opening chapter by keeping the details ambiguous. The extract effectively portrays themes of time through the flashbacks and themes of place through the two
settings introduced.

Word Count: 1246

References:

The Kite Runner Extract. At: https://blue-novels.com/the-kite-runner/page-1-2819/ [accessed 29/07/19]

Hill, A. (2003) ‘An Afghan hounded by his past’. In: The Guardian [online]. At: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/sep/07/fiction.features1 [accessed 07/08/19]

Reflection

At the beginning of Part 2, I struggled to get going because the writing was never my strong suit in school. I always tried to get out of doing it so it was hard for me to get motivated but once I started it, I learned a few new things. I pushed myself to keep completing the tasks in this section. I compared the difference between reading and writing, and how changing the narrator can effect the perspective on the text. I also researched and recorded Aristotle, Volger’s The Hero’s Journey which was new to me. I knew most of the character archetypes from GCSE Media in school, however, learning the 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey was new and exciting.

When it comes to the poetic devices, I’d say I did well as it’s a basic topic we learn in early secondary. However, the close reading of the poem is what I struggled with because I was never a big fan of poetry. Then the assignment was a close reading as well, I have to admit that I found it difficult so I put it off a bit. In my assignment, I struggled to find an extract that I could study effectively. With hours of scrolling through the internet, I found the novel by Khalid Hosseini. Whilst studying the extract from the novel, I realized that it doesn’t explore themes of time and place as much as I imagined so it made me doubt if I had picked the wrong novel. But I believe I’ve managed to discuss some parts that may include time and place and successfully carried out a close reading of The Kite Runner.

The Road extract in Part 4 really helped me to understand what close reading is by giving me questions to think about the deeper meaning of the text. I believe the saying goes “reading between the lines”. It’s how the author structures the text, how narration is significant, whether it’s punctuated or not and so on. So this exercise helped me when I was writing my assignment and analysing the extract. I could refer back to this if I ever got stuck and think of the questions that could be raised from the text.

Overall, Part 2 of this course was definitely a difficult one for me personally. I feel quite proud of myself for actually completing it and I believe that I will use creative writing for future projects. I felt like I learnt a lot through the exercises. In my assignment, I effectively discussed my interpretations and feelings about the extract, and mentioned the plot, character, narrator and point of view as well as the minimal themes of time and place that I found.

Part 2:4 – The Road

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

“He pushed the cart and both he and the boy carried knapsacks. In the knapsacks were essential things in case they had to abandon the cart and make a run for it. Clamped to the handle of the cart was a chrome motorcycle mirror that he used to watch the road behind them. He shifted the pack higher on his shoulders and looked out over the wasted country. The road was empty. Below in the little valley the still grey serpentine of a river. Motionless and precise. Along the shore a burden of dead reeds. Are you okay? He said. The boy nodded. They set out along the backtop in the gunmetal light, shuffling through the ash, each the other’s world entire.” – McCarthy, 2006, p.4

Exercise 1

First person narrator:

I pushed the cart and both my boy and I carried knapsacks. In the knapsacks were essential things incase we had to abandon the cart and make a run for it. Clamped to the handle of the cart was a chrome motorcycle mirror that we used to watch the road behind us. I shifted my pack higher on my shoulders and looked out over the wasted country…

Second person narrator:

You pushed the cart and you and your boy carried knapsacks. In the knapsacks were essential things incase you had to abandon the cart and make a run for it. Clamped to the handle of the cart was a chrome motorcycle mirror that you used to watch the road behind you. You shifted your pack higher on your shoulders and looked out over the wasted country…

If McCarthy had chosen the third person limited point of view, think about the difference between telling this story from the boy’s POV or the mans.

The difference between the third person and the boy’s POV is, i think there would be a stronger emotional response from the boy as he’s a young age and everything seems scary at that age. However, the narrative may not have as much detail coming from a child.

What impact does changing the narrative angle have on the story? Why do you think McCarthy decided to use an omniscient narrator?

The story definitely takes on different aspects when using different narratives. First person narrator draws the audience in more, it makes you feel like you’re there on scene. Second person narrator feels more distant. I think he used an omniscient narrator because it makes it more gripping, more exciting and keeps the audience interested.

Exercise 2

I think not giving the man and the boy a name stops the viewers getting attached to the character but that doesn’t mean that we don’t care about them. They still have human characteristics. I think it leaves the viewers intrigued and wanting to find out more. We can tell there may be some trouble because they have all their belongings and essentials that they need; which implies they might be trying to survive something. The words “wasted country” and “grey serpentine of a river” suggests that some kind of disaster has happened. It sounds like it could have been an apocalypse or the end of a war? They are alone and scared which also implies some kind of disaster, like they are running away from something. They’re on a journey with everything they own, they could be going to a safe place. The road is mentioned a few times in the extract; this could emphasise the struggle that the man and the boy are going through. By McCarthy not punctuating the speech symbolises the loneliness. It shows that they aren’t very important. The use of these words “serpentine of the river” and “gunmetal light” implies that there could have been a war that they are running from.

Part 2:3 – Ways of Saying & Seeing

Exercise 1

The Herefordshire Landscape by Elizabeth Barrett Browning – purely evokes a sense of place. The use of descriptive writing emphasises the countryside ie. “hills, vales, woods, netted in a silver mist”. Repetition also helps to emphasise this ie. “cottage-chimneys” “cottage-gardens”.

Slough by John Betjeman – makes a social comment about progress or place. It sounds like he is talking about war and the destruction of Slough which is obviously negative comments ie. “come friendly bombs and fall on Slough” and “come, bombs and blow to smithereens”. Also repetition of the word “tinned” exaggerates the sense of feeling trapped.

The Lost Land by Eavan Boland – speaks about place in relation to identity and exile. Seems to be physical loss of land “saying all the names I know for a lost land: Ireland. Absence. Daughter” this also implies the emotional loss through the word daughter.

Exercise 2

I found a poem called “The Letter A” and pointed out what poetic devices were used:

In the extract by Darren Sardelli, he uses devices such as rhythm and alliteration to make the poem more exciting.

Experimenting with my own:

I just got a new puppy,

took her for a walk by the lake,

she got a little bit muddy,

then chased after a huge snake.

Exercise 3

Close reading of Dylan Thomas’ poem called Fern Hill.

When first reading the poem, i felt like it gave off a positive mood as most of the words that have been used are very positive. It looks like he is talking about the past. Beautiful things he has come across when he was younger. Whereas when I listened to the poem, it gave off a different emotion. It sounded like something you would hear in church, it’s almost quite theatrical.

I think the poem has a few poetic devices. The main one that stands out for me i believe is personification. He talks about ‘time’ as if its a person: “time let me hail and climb golden in the heydays of his eyes”. He uses a similie: “happy as the grass was green”. and he also repeatedly uses alliteration: “house high hay” “tuneful turning”. There isn’t really a rhythm in this poem, it doesn’t flow well. To me I think, rhythm has a huge impact on the poem as I think it makes it more exciting.

Part 2:2 – The Hero’s Journey

Research

The most recent thing i’ve read is Hazel Smith’s ‘Creative Writing and New Media’. Although it’s not a story or novel, I believe it still has elements from Aristotle’s list. I’d say this piece of text has thought, it has a theme of creative writing and the new media combined. I believe it also has elements of diction as it portrays the expression of meaning.

Exercise 1

Toy Story is one of my favourite childhood movies that used to watch over and over so I have chosen this to apply The Hero’s Journey to it.

We are introduced to the ordinary world where Woody and the other toys come alive when Andy isn’t around. Woody is Andy’s favourite toy and the “leader” to the others. The toys then receives a call to adventure when Buzz Lightyear is brought into the picture and Woody gets jealous as he thinks Buzz will become the new favourite. Woody’s refusal of the call is he feels replaced and “accidentally” pushes Buzz out the window. There is no meeting with the mentor however, Little Bo Peep tells him to not let Buzz get to him. Woody has to face crossing the first threshold when him and Buzz have to work together to get back to Andy.

They are faced with tests, allies and enemies when they lose Andy, come across alien toys then are captured by Sid and Scud, the dog. Their approach to the inmost cave is when Sid takes Woody and Buzz to his bedroom. The ordeal is Sid torturing Woody and Buzz but in order to escape Sid and his dog, they had to gain each others trust to get the reward of escaping.

Woody and Buzz chase after the removal lorry on the road back to Andy’s house. They soon realise their resurrection is they have a true friendship and return with the elixir back home safe as new friends.

Exercise 2

Character archetypes:

Hero – J in Men in Black
Mentor – Hagrid in Harry Potter
Ally – Robin in Batman
Herald – R2D2 from Star Wars
Trickster – Dobby from Harry Potter
Shapeshifter – Gollum from Lord of the Rings
Guardian – The Doorknob in Alice in Wonderland
Shadow – Voldemort from Harry Potter

Assignment 1

A: Reflective Commentary

In the beginning, I was asked: “What is Art?”. Looking back on my answer to that, I would say that my views haven’t changed; I’d say it has progressed more. Art has a purpose, that’s what makes it art and the audience completes the piece with their opinions. The context is also important these days with art changing so much. I believe it’s rather easy to identify art if it has some context with it, however, coming across a piece of work with very little context can be challenging to understand.

These past couple of months completing the first project has been a challenge. It took some time getting back into the studying routine after being away from it for a year. I need to work on my time management as I can get easily sidetracked. However, I’ve become more motivated to study as I’m enjoying the projects. I have been using the Pomodoro technique when doing my studying as it helps me to focus and go back to it with a fresh mind. One of the study skills I feel I have developed is planning for essay writing. Before, I used to try and go straight into it whereas now I write out a plan with separate bullet points for each paragraph to ensure my work is well-constructed and produced efficiently.

I chose to use a learning log as a way to exhibit my research, coursework, and assignments but I also chose this because I’m familiar with using a blog due to using Blogger in school. I feel I’ve always got carried away with the writing side of things and forgot to add the visual elements. I can improve this by attaching photos, videos, drawings, and notes to make my posts look more visually exciting.

I did quite a bit of contemporary art in school that was also familiar to me. The first project was fairly easy, looking at the context discovering the true meaning of art, etc. The second project was very interesting. I loved doing the case study about the Longplayer, it was so fascinating and so many beautiful sounds. However, I felt I struggled a little bit with explaining the positioning of bowls and spectators, etc within the analysis. I also enjoyed doing the case study about Nathan Coley’s piece. I believe I could have put more effort into doing further research to gain full knowledge but as I said before time management isn’t my thing and this is something I need to work on.

Word Count: 419

B: Jeremy Deller’s ‘The Battle of Orgreave’

In this essay, I am going to discuss my interpretation of ‘The Battle of Orgreave’, a re-enactment by Jeremy Deller that took place in Yorkshire 2001. I will consider the form and the context within this piece, but also the relation it has to time and place.

When I first watched the documentary, I felt slightly shocked. I was surprised at how real it felt when watching it. It had many factors that helped to engage the viewer and take them back to 1984. It portrays feelings of rage and fury but also vulnerability for the miners as they take a beating from the police. On the other hand, I thought of the people that were at the 1984 clash and how they would have responded to the re-enactment. Would they have felt offended by it or seen it as a tribute to what happened that day?

The Battle of Orgreave was a horrific confrontation between the police and miners at Orgreave on 18th July 1984. The most violent clash in history. This happened because the National Union of Mineworkers went on a yearlong strike. Jeremy Deller staged a re-enactment 17 years later to educate the viewers on this tragic event. But for the locals, it was an event they had to emotionally experience all over again in a different form. “I’ve always described it as digging up a corpse and giving it a proper post-mortem,” said Deller (The Battle of Orgreave, 2001). His piece is built up of 3 sectors that all have contributing factors to the event; the actual re-enactment, the film, and the installation.

The re-enactment that took 2 years of research and planning consisted of more than 800 participants, 200 of which were former police and miners that Deller encouraged to take part in. There were 80’s denim jackets worn by the miners and the police wore their uniform. By including these, Deller has created a sense of realism for the audience, but he’s also created feelings of anger for those re-living the event. The re-enactment effectively addresses the viewer directly through live performance.

The film was directed by Mike Figgis for Artangel Media and Channel 4. It includes shots from a variety of angles, from police hitting miners with truncheons to miners trying to avoid the cruelty. This emphasizes the brutality of violence that took place. Still shots from the proper event in 1984 flash over the 2001 re-enactment. We hear the sounds of pictures being taken, interviews from victims sharing their perspective and how it impacted their lives. Seeing how emotional some of the victims are, implied that they never intended for a war to break out, but it did and they fought, “It was not simply jobs that were being fought for here, but also local identity and the importance of place to our continued sense of self” (Dean and Millar, 2005;106). All these elements enhance the significance and engage the viewer as if they were involved. It makes you feel sympathy for the men that work hard for the nation.

The footage has features that resemble a historic battle such as the continuous bangs of the drum connote soldiers preparing for war. Charging towards fleeing pickets, the cavalry and the sounds they make help to implicate a battle. The title itself puts a stamp on the violent confrontation. The term ‘battle’ instantly makes the viewers think of the major conflict between armed forces such as The Battle of Hastings. By giving it this title, it produces real emphasis on the significance of this event.

Whilst the film effectively incorporates these features together; the installation at Tate aids the audience with social and political context through the use of documents, maps, riot shields, videos and audio files from the event. The title of the installation is ‘The Battle of Orgreave Archive: An Injury to One is an Injury to All’. That slogan is used by the people of the Industrial Union, implying everyone is equal regardless of their trade, skills, gender or race. I believe this slogan is very fitting for The Battle of Orgreave as it wasn’t just those involved that it affected.

There are references to place within this piece. Firstly, it is site-specific. I think the location of the re-enactment was important it had to be staged in the same place as the 1984 clash to ensure it was an accurate remembrance rather than a mockery. The piece also has references to the theme of time as Deller held the re-enactment at the same time as the original event, 17^thJune but 17 years later in the same village. The effect of these dates and location being the same is almost like creating a time machine for those participating and those spectating. Every last bit of detail had to be correct for it to be successful and I think Deller had done a great job. It allowed the veterans to be transported back in time to this life-changing event.

Many of Jeremy Deller’s other works have political and social connections, “The History of the World” 1997 is another piece by Deller that includes brief information about Britain and how some things have changed over the years. It has links to the miners’ strike, implicating civil unrest at Orgreave. There are other links to privatization and deindustrialization, this piece demonstrates a thought process that could have potentially helped to influence ‘The Battle of Orgreave’ re-enactment. Deller has a fascination with ‘living history’, a term he uses to denote his representation of historical events. He discusses his fascination and suggests that his works like ‘The Battle of Orgreave’ 2001, ‘It Is What It Is’ 2009 and ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’ 2016 are “public inquiries, creating ‘living memorials for the dead'”. (HeniTalks, 2017). He gives participants and spectators a sense of stepping back in time through his re-enactments.

To conclude, I strongly believe Jeremy Deller created this piece not to influence but to educate viewers and help them to understand. “I was not interested in a nostalgic interpretation of the strike” (The English Civil War: Part II, 2002). He intended to represent that specific time in history that changed the conduct of industrial relations and I believe that he has done this successfully through the context of his works in ‘The Battle of Orgreave’.

Word Count: 1051

Bibliography:

Jeremy Deller – ‘ The Battle of Orgreave’ (2001). At: www.jeremydeller.org/TheBattleOfOrgreave/TheBattleOfOrgreave_Video.php [accessed 05/05/19]

Tate Installation (2001) An Injury To One Is An Injury To All. At: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/deller-the-battle-of-orgreave-archive-an-injury-to-one-is-an- injury-to-all-t12185 [accessed 07/07/19]

Artangel (2001). At: https://www.artangel.org.uk/project/the-battle-of-orgreave [accessed 10/07/19

Faquharson, A. (2001). The Battle of Orgreave. At: https://www.frieze.com/article/jeremy-deller [accessed 10/07/19]

Jones, J. (2001) Missiles fly, truncheons swing, police chase miners as cars burn. It’s all very exciting. But why is it art? At: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/jun/19/artsfeatures [accessed 11/05/19]

Apollo Magazine (2014) The Battle of Orgreave and ‘The Battle of Orgreave’. At: https://www.apollo-magazine.com/battle-of-orgreave-battle-orgreave [accessed 12/05/19]

Heni Talks (2017) Jeremy Deller: ‘It Is What It Is’. At: https://henitalks.com/talks/jeremy-deller/#transcript [accessed 14/09/19]

Part 2:1 – The Craft of Writing

If language as a sign system is based on arbitrariness of this kind then it follows that language isn’t a reflection of the world and of experience but a system that stands quite separate from it.
Barry, 1995, p.42

Textual Revolution

It all began with oral storytelling around 10,000 years ago. The arrival of the written word meant that a story could now continue to exist even if there was no one left to tell it. The first textual revolt happened in the fifteenth century with the invention of the printing press. The tradition of shared oral storytelling began to decline as private reading became more accessible.

Exercise 1

What happens to a story when you take it from its source, make it permanent in print and disseminate it to a wider audience?

There are positives and negatives when you do this with a story. It could become more accessible to a wide variety of people and the story becomes well known. However, it could have negatives such as once the story has been published, it’s out of their hands and anyone could use and abuse it. It’s no longer just the artists piece of work, it’s everyone to read and enjoy.

Write a list of implications arising from the printing press. For example, think about who has control/authority over the text, the meaning of the text and the relationship between the source of the text and its recipient.

copyright issues – who owns the work once its been made permanent
educations resources – the printing press can distribute learning resources for educational purposes

I’ve struggled with this section as i’m very new to the creative writing side of things.

Research

Consider the implications of the digital revolution for creative writing.

it can be productive to mediate between page and screen pg.103
the screen replaces the page which makes creative writing more visually exciting
algorithmic constraints
D.Howe and J.Cayley’s “the Readers Project” – algorithmically selecting words from prior text to generate new text, its evolving itself.

Exercise 2

Last 24 hours:

I was asked to write a list of everything i’ve heard, seen, written or read and when it comes down to it, you don’t realise how many things you pick up in a day and its very hard to note down everything.

‘cant walk around fire and expect not to sweat’ from a song i heard
written in my gratitude journal
been told my little sister in law nearly strangled my pup by accident
listened to radio 1
read emails and text messages

Information is soaked up into our brains every minute of the day when we look at our phones or the tv or listen to the radio. It’s how you decide to take and use this information. Personally, I feel that something only sticks in my head when I’m really interested in it.

I would only consider certain things to be art such as the lyrics to a song or writing in my journal. I wouldn’t say the other things could be considered as art because these are things you do everyday.