In the beginning, the situation was chaotic to say the least. No one knew what or where to write. We then began to verbally discuss the questions that were present in the focal paragraph. Once we all began to write though, text was popping up all over the place. The same questions were being answered by multiple people simultaneously on opposite ends of the document. Intelligently, someone listed out the questions in a numbered format, leaving space for us to answer each question all in one space. I took advantage of this and began to write in the allotted spaces. However, apparently not everyone took notice of this and many people continued to write their own paragraphs in random parts of the document, making it hard to link back to all the other answers to the same question. In addition, due to the fact that so many students were writing at the same time, I found it hard to come up with ideas that hadn’t already been written down. Rewording what had already been written would have just made the document even more redundant. If everyone had stuck to answering the same questions in the same spaces, it would have been a lot more coherent. I cannot, however, blame anyone who didn’t do so as there wasn’t too much communication between our group and it was very likely that they just hadn’t seen it.
Student posts
My thoughts on Collaborative Writing (I was sick)
I was not able to attend the class because I was sick, not being able to contribute to the collaborative writing process during class. However, as an observer, I was able to identify some interesting points being made. As an example, I like how one pointed out about Vladek’s post-war personality compared to his personality before the war. Even after the war, it seems like Vladek is still living in the fear of war, characterizing his personality in the present life. This was made possible, as one pointed out in the assignment, by using the framed style of narrative, being able to switch back and forth between the past story and the present story.
Badge Photo
I used this picture because I believe the tree represents myself. I always aim up towards the sky, and I have firm and strong roots in family and moral values.
Badge
I created this using the photo editing tool Gimp. This is a photo that I took on a family vacation that I found aesthetically pleasing. I mostly just enjoyed playing with different fill tools until I liked the look of it and added my name.
Maus I Chapters 5 and 6 and UC Chapter 4-Mike Green, David Hercules, Nikki Ciesinski, and Ethan Alwaise
January 28, 2014 READERS
How does the author use the concepts of “frames” in chapters 5 and 6 of Maus I?
One of the main characteristics of this graphic novel is the transitioning between the mid 1900’s and the present. Despite the mundane interactions and arguments between Artie, Vladek, and Mala over drain pipes, Vladek’s persistent frugality and heart problems, the book connects Vladek’s tragic past and ordinary present with smooth transitions. Art Spiegelman prepares the reader for a transition between periods of time by making his drawings less detailed when in the present and well detailed when we delve back into Vladek’s past, submerging the reader into the experience with textures and a closer feeling to the unfolding events. The effect of framing is not immediately noticeable in the last panel of the story when Art is seen walking home alone, saying, “Murderer”, but the size and the simplicity of the panel require further examination. Spiegelman purposefully designs this panel to be smaller than most of the other panels in order to leave the reader with a feeling that the plots are unresolved; and, thus Spiegelman keeps this panel very simple with nearly no details.
What is the significance of the chapter titles?
Chapter 5 and 6 both have interesting titles that explain much of the events that are occurring in both the present and past. Chapter 5’s title, “Mouse Holes” represents the “bunkers” Vladek, Anja, and the rest of the Jews have to keep hiding in while the Nazis try to send them to Auschwitz. Like mice, the Jews keep moving and rebuilding tiny hiding places. In the present or “outside frame,” Vladek feels as though he is trapped in a mouse hole with Mala because he thinks all she wants from him is his money.
The title for Chapter 6, “Mouse Trap”, could be taken to represent the various hiding places Vladek and Anja are forced to dwell in. However, most significantly, it represents the trap of fleeing to Hungary. Like an actual mouse trap contains cheese to lure mice in, Hungary offered the promise of safety that Vladek and Anja so desperately wanted. Just like the cheese, however, this promise of safety was only a ruse meant to distract Vladek and Anja from the danger that awaited them.
How do these chapters relate to chapter 4 of UC?
On page 98, the author adjusts the shape of the panels to explain the story in a certain way. In Understanding Comics chapter 4, McCloud discusses how sometimes the most important parts of a comic are the panels. Spiegelman adjusts the panel on page 98 to show multiple events at the same time. By making the panel this way, he shows action and reaction in a linear way. The reader can see that Vladek is putting away his nails, while Artie and Vladek are actually straining their relationship.
My Badge
Pi is a number with an amount of digits we have yet to establish. I believe it is finite. My mind is finite, but I live my life having new thoughts every day. My thoughts like pi’s digits exponentially grow.
Photo Credit to Christian Hopkins:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chopkins011/5526908387/
And I used picmonkey.com to edit the photo.
Badge
I created this badge using the GIMP. It is supposed to represent my love for mathematics. The 4×4 grid is a visual demonstration of the fact that the sum of the first n odd numbers equals the square of n.
Badge
I chose to make my badge a pineapple because I like pineapple.
Badge
The above badge represents nostalgia. As a kid, and still today, I can become easily distracted by dreamy colors, big spaces, and pure nature.
My badge
Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. - St. Augustine
I decided to chose this picture as my badge because the swan represents inner beauty and grace.
Photo credit to Bahman Farzad: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21644167@N04/6559717005/in/photolist-aZEgk4-aGtpMM-aGtvpc-aGNVQR-aZEgEH-aGtpK6-aZEgdK-aZEgHF-6goiKG-aZEgai-aZEgft-aGtpfx-aZEgmP-aZEgin-aGtpRp-aGtpXg-aZEgqv-4cZyjE-aY6e9B-aWpsgH-aGtyr2-etD1Dj-aGtpFg-aGtpkV-aGtvmn-6gj7dk-aWqB12-6goiRY-awFjrs-5YLN33-4SDKr1-4w1Txa-5yWgM7-J2gyr-bqQE1G-8YnSaM-dw1mSA-cZkSWC-beQv9a-4YHdxX-4CNVF7-9b93n-FnAvH-99Ajiv-fcRPrP-esZ8kA-evvbqt-eRk8Kj-fb6JcV-9YokXe-evygD3
Quote Credit to: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saintaugus385078.html#0to3iT4ft1s8O7oP.99