Week 12 - Illuminated Page on Modern Media

I illustrated this illuminated page in order to shed some light on what I see as a fear of technology, that it's hijacking our minds. In reality, technology only allows more seamless communication, for us to curate a mediascape for others to escape into. We are technology, but technology amplifies our ability to reach/manipulate each other. They are two sides of the same coin, and can both be positive or negative.

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Cosmopolis and Privilege

In the book "Cosmopolis" by Don Delillo, Eric Packer is a ludicrously rich head of a financial firm who rides around in his limousine all day on his way to get a haircut. Outside the vehicle, the world around him rages and writhes in turmoil. People fill the streets protesting capitalism, but all Packer feels is amusement. This lack of empathy is a symptom of Eric's privilege. His privilege is a trait he has built upon with every dollar he's gained and luxury he's bought. Every ordinary event and interaction is now seen through new eyes; ones less attuned to the hearts of those struggling to get by. He sees the events around him as a spectacle, and uses the windows of the limo not only as a protective shell but also as a socioeconomic disconnect from the world around him. To Packer, everything he sees through the window is a stage set for him to interpret at his leisure, and only those he rides with are the selected audience members. One such audience member is Sh...

Week 10 - My Favorite Thing is Monsters

My Favorite thing is monsters is a graphic novel unlike anything I had read before. It’s a very open, intimate story about a young girl’s self-image. It feels like we can see through her eyes in this comic, especially because of the illustrative style. They’re rough, and this can be jarring, but their very emotive and serve to show you the main character’s thoughts and opinions, including those on herself. She portrays herself as a monster, and this parallel, quite literally shown is very impactful for the reader. We are struck by the gravity that one’s image has on their self-esteem and how those themes fit into an unstable part of one’s life. Growing up is hard, and coming to terms with one’s self is even harder as it’s a part of that process. The way that this graphic novel is able to abstract these concepts through the drawings is really effective.

Week 11 - Twin Peaks

I watched Twin Peaks as an example of long-form television. I was already watching the series, but I continued with an analytical eye. Twin Peaks is primarily a crime/mystery/thriller show, but has undertones of the supernatural. The fact that it’s a visual media allows new clues and information, being revealed by the characters, to be segmented per-week. The story unravels slowly, but as the plot wears on many characters in the town Twin Peaks take a part of the spotlight. Some episodes will focus on some characters, and another on a different group. Most of the time it will feature at least some of the main plot-line and police force characters, but oftentimes episodes will be sprinkled in where the director focuses more on secondary characters, on a more personal narrative. I think this is how Twin Peaks became so popular, and how it really took advantage of it’s format. Television, specifically long-form, gives the director enough time to tell an, if not longer, wider story. A la...

Chris Beausire's Lit & Media Studies Experience

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