Category: Critical Reflection

The central focus of this critical reflection will be on my own experiences with gender and identity. I will aim to critically reflect on how my experience interacts with the following aspects such as religion, class, age, and race. While also drawing on my own experience using theorists such as Butler, Steph Lawler, Bell Hooks. I will be addressing the following point- Feminism in a cultural home.

We must first understand ‘Gender’ and ‘Sexual identities’. With both Gender and Sexual identities, there’s purpose and effects, this comes to play in gender roles, the importance of gender roles allows one to accept themselves while also understanding how to connect with people. The understandings of the term ‘Gender’ is continuously evolving. Gender is a social construction of the definition of men and women, one’s characteristics are thought to distinguish the difference between a man and women, such as roles, norms, and relationships. However, it differs within other societies and can also change. Whilst a majority of the population are either born ‘Man’ or ‘Woman’ they are learned the suitable norms and conducts, this including-how to interact with those of the same or different sex within communities, work, and homes. However, when one does not ‘fit’ the appropriate gender norms they are most likely faced with discrimination, social barring, and shame.

The establishment of Gender identity is a complicated process there are many elements to consider such as, cultural, psychological and biological. Gender identity is one’s inner experience in which names one’s gender. This can fit or change the sex we were given once birthed. Our first understanding of ‘Gender’ for most of us is established in early childhood. Most of us are only familiar with two gender identities ‘Male’ and ‘Female’, due to the lack of information and social norms we are introduced from young, that these two gender identities only exist. And that one must be either male or female ‘Assuming for the moment the stability of binary sex, it does not follow that the construction of ‘men’ will accrue exclusively to the bodies of males or that ‘women’ will interpret only female bodies’ (Butler,2011) – ‘Gender binary’ this disconnects forms of Masculinity and femininity. Also, Gender expression is how we choose to communicate our gender to the world, social gender involves gender roles and beliefs, society uses these to impose traditionalism to present gender norms.

Lawler draws upon the Psychoanalysis theory and what it may offer to the sociological theories of identity. The psychoanalysis theory emphasises as what it perceives as the subconscious elements of identity formation. According to Lawler ‘The social world is messier than this, and part of the messiness, it seems to me, derives from the messiness of the unconscious’ (Lawler, 2015) Lawler suggests that this perspective provides numerous ways of comprehending non-rational, concealed characteristics of identity in other ways would be unreachable.

Furthermore, ‘Gender roles express our respective place or position in the larger society relative to traditional beliefs of masculinity and femininity’ (Miville, 2013), from when we are born, we are taught expectations and rules that differ from both genders. Historically, gender roles have always been established within my household, I come from a very traditional cultural family, and with that comes expectations and rules that I have seen and also abided by. Many generations before me, there were expectations from both genders- Women were expected to be seen as the caretakes of both the family and home, while men were expected to be seen as the main provider for both the family and home. Furthermore, I’ve also had little freedom growing up, while the men in the family were allowed to do as they please because they are ‘Men’. During the Middle ages, the treatment for both genders always differed ‘Some medieval scholars, in fact, regarded girls as the result of weaker or damaged sperm, while boys resulted from sperm produced by men at their most fertile’ (Bardsley. S, 1997) this suggests that, before the birth of their child, distinctions were already established on the basis of their gender. However, I am very familiar with the appreciation that comes from the birth of a boy, they are seen as a ‘Trophy’, According to Bardsley, ‘The system of primogeniture, under which the oldest son inherited his father’s land, meant that boys were often welcomed more warmly than girls’ (Bardsley, 2007) both genders were shown affection in different ways, however, there were more opportunities given to a male than a female and this was on the basis of their gender, males had much more to lose and much more to give once they had inherited their father’s name as well as his land. Traditionally, it is known that a ‘woman’ is not eligible to carry on her father’s name whereas with a ‘Man’ it is very much the opposite and with this come’s many opportunities, this will not likely be reciprocated to women.

Nonetheless, there have been significant changes in regards to gender roles specifically to ‘Women’ in the early 16th century women were given the voice to express their equality issues and anger, later recognised. ‘Feminism aims to end sexist oppression. Importantly it aims not to benefit solely a specific group of women, any particular race or class of women. It does not privilege women over men’ (Hooks, 2000). Feminism was subconsciously introduced in my household, life outside Europe is very hard to come accustomed to, after many years of creating a living in the United Kingdom I have become accustomed to their way of living and thinking. My family, have also changed their mindset on gender roles, as well as mine and my families class status after many years of residing in the UK, When I first migrated to the UK myself and my family were of lower class and brought our traditions with us, this meant that my family were very close-minded and this was also pushed onto myself, However, I do believe from experience that those who are of a higher class are more lenient towards both genders and change their traditional values. ‘The multidimensionality and interconnected nature of race, class and gender hierarchies were especially visible to those who faced oppression along more than one dimension of inequality’ (Landry, 2016) These academics visualized axes of inequality applicable to the class, gender and race that divides with each other. Power relationships in line with race, class, and gender were perceived to be mutually reinforcing and reciprocally defining instead of systematic structures of oppression, this establishing a ‘Matrix of domination’.

Bibliography

1. Bardsley, S. (2007). Women’s Roles in the Middle Ages. Westport: Greenwood Press.
2. Butler, J. (2011). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. O: Routledge.
3. Hooks, B. (2000). Feminism aims to end sexist oppression. Importantly it aims not to benefit solely a specific group of women, any particular race or class of women. It does not privilege women over men. United Kingdom: Pluto Press.
4. Landry, B. (2016). The multidimensionality and interconnected nature of race, class and gender hierarchies were especially visible to those who faced oppression along more than one dimension of inequality”. Oxon: Routledge.
5. Lawler, S. (2008). Identity: Sociological Perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press.
6. Miville, M. (2013). Multicultural Gender Roles: Applications for Mental Health and Education. New Jersey: Wiley.

Humans are naturally social and interactive beings who fundamentally need social contact. During a certain period of their lives, humans are faced with feelings of isolation due to the lack of social connectedness. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of isolation and to understand how the Man in Blue exhibits a clear understanding of this concept. This paper overviews an artist named Francis Bacon who paints his experiences with depression allowing others to envision his struggle with isolation and the decline of his mental health.

Social contact has long been recognized as a fundamental human need; the concept of isolation is a state in which an individual negatively experiences a physical or emotional separation (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013). There are three attributes of human isolation: confinement, sensory deprivation, and social isolation. When an individual experiences a combination of these attributes, it may result in negative consequences (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013).

In Francis Bacon’s painting the Man in Blue, there is an unidentified male figure that appears to be screaming with his mouth wide open; the Man in Blue is screened from chalky darkness surrounding a cage and a blue drawn curtain (Tate, 1970). The cage in the background represents the limitation of physical space, restraints, and feelings of alienation. In many circumstances, cages are used for confinement; they are used for restricting a person’s physical movement. In comparison to health care, confinement is seen to be used for patients in isolation precautions, where they are limited from their normal social interactions (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013). The next symbol, the blue curtain symbolizes sensory deprivation, which is defined as the deliberate reduction or removal of one or more human stimuli. (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013). From conception to death, the human body uses sensory organs to learn about the environment in which they live. The drawn curtain implies a complete restriction of natural sounds, vision, and somatic senses of the individual. Stimulation of these organs allows for their development as well as the contribution of the overall well being of the individual, thus leading to hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, anxiety, and depression (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013). This is also portrayed in the painting, where the individual is screaming showing signs of distress. Furthermore, in the painting, the man is sitting alone in the dark with no other activities in the background, this illustrates social isolation. Social isolation is characterized as the absence of social interactions, engagement with community activities, and social support (Gilmartin, Grota, & Sousa, 2013). The role of a nurse is to have a client- nurse therapeutic care, which includes monitoring the tendency, length, and content of interactions depending on patient’s needs (“Sensory deprivation”, 2014). As a nurse, preventing isolation is determined by the lack of social connectedness in a person’s life. Social connectedness is indicated as the feeling of caring and being cared for by others (O’Rourke & Sidani, 2017). From psychological theories to recent research, there is evidence that feeling connected and social support helps maintain a healthy aspect of physical and mental health. Counseling patients on increasing social connection and encouraging friends has the potential to cause healing to patients.

All in all, isolation as portrayed in Francis Bacon’s painting is a complex behavior that affects an individual’s biopsychosocial domain. Throughout the three attributes of human isolation, an individual can suffer serious mental and physical illnesses. Nurses and healthcare providers often lack time to address more than just physical health complaints. It is beneficial to ask about the patient’s social encounters and to allow for any modification in their individualized care.

References

1. Bacon, F. (Painter). (1954). Man in Blue. [oil on canvas]. Retrieved from https://www.francis-bacon.com/artworks/paintings/man-blue-v
2. Gilmartin, H.M, Grota, P.G., & Sousa, K. (2013). Isolation: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 48(1), 54-6
3. O’Rourke, H., & Sidani, S. (2017). Definition, determinants, and outcomes of social connectedness for older adults: A scoping review. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(7), 43-52
4. Silver Oaks College of Nursing. (2014). Sensory deprivation. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from https://www.slideshare.net/atullawrence1/sensory-deprivation-30969519.
5. Tate. (1970). ‘Study for a Portrait’, Francis Bacon, 1952. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bacon-study-for-a-portrait-t12616.

Reflective practice is a process that practitioners undertake to encourage self-development and professional growth (Galea, 2012). To aid reflection, practitioners may use reflection models such as the Discroll Cycle (Discroll, 2007), Gibbs’s Reflective Cycle (Gibbs 1988), Schon’s Model of Reflective Practice (Schon, 1983) and Johns’s Model for Structured Reflection (Johns, 2006). This essay will demonstrate my reflectional skills using Johns’s Model for Structured Reflection (2006) as a guide. I will use my experiences over my placement hours within a year 1 class at Lipson Vale Primary School to reflect. This essay will discuss how useful Johns’s (2006) model was to me and whether it helped me to develop as a practitioner. Within this essay, I will be suggesting adaptions to make Johns’s model more accessible for practitioners. Furthermore, I will explore whether Johns’s (2006) model is successful in supporting critical reflection. Alongside this, I will investigate the importance of reflection as there are many benefits for a practitioner upon completion.

Reflection is considered an important skill for practitioners to use and master to improve upon their professional abilities (Davies, 2012). Research suggests, that there are multiple different benefits to reflective practice which include, mental health support, clear understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses, acknowledgment of the need of further education and a clearer outlook on an event (Knight, 2015). Firstly, reflection could support a practitioner’s mental health as they are given time to express their feelings and concerns (Beggs, Shields and Goodin, 2011). Also, as they reflect and break down each aspect of a scenario, the situation would become clearer and more manageable, meaning they will be able to understand their actions and feelings. It is important for practitioners to reflect as they will be able to identify their personal strengths and weaknesses (Cornish and Jenkins, 2012). This then enables the practitioner to implement steps to improve upon their weaknesses. Alongside this, the practitioner will be able to recognise if there are any gaps within their own knowledge that could be filled to become more educated and opinionated on a subject (Higgins, 2011).

I chose Johns’s (2006) model as it is recommended for practitioners who have not previously reflected. Johns’s Model for Structured Reflection (2006) acts as a starting point when learning how to reflect due to the ‘looking in’ and ‘looking out’ approach (Bulman and Schutz, 2013). Therefore, Johns’s (2006) model seemed appropriate to do my first reflection as it implies that the structure would be clear and simple for first time reflectors. The appearance of the model was also attractive. The layout is very structured as each section is clearly divided for each of the cue questions. I also chose this model as the ‘looking in’ and ‘looking out’ approach would be helpful as I would cover every aspect of the situation. Consequently, this method will enable me to fully reflect on the situation and my actions as it explores how the scenario I was in may have impacted my emotions.

I will be using Johns’s model to reflect upon the situation where I was leading a group of children and they completed the work quicker than anticipated meaning they were growing bored.

Johns’s Model for Structured Reflection:

Looking in – my thoughts and emotions on the situation:

When the children were beginning to get bored and restless due to finishing the work, I began to feel stressed as I did not want to appear unable to supervise children and manage their behaviour. This was my first day of placement and so it was the first time the teacher was seeing me with a group of children. I wanted to appear capable and confident, so I was becoming worried that the teacher would not trust me if the children began to disrupt others.

Looking out – description of the situation:

The children were completing a maths sheet. It appears they were more capable than the level of work they were doing as they completed it very quickly. My role was to check the children’s work and to supervise them. Whilst my group and I were waiting for the rest of the class to finish their work, I was engaging with the children as they were asking questions and telling anecdotes. However, after 5 minutes, the children were becoming rowdy and could potentially disrupt others. I decided to get a whiteboard and pen to do some sums for the children to answer. We did this for a further 5 minutes until the others had finished.

Aesthetics – what was I trying to achieve?:

The main thing I was trying to achieve was my supervisor’s trust as it was my first day in school. When the children had finished their task, we were talking off-topic. I was allowing this as the children were calm and I was unsure of how long was left of the activity. I then got the whiteboard as it appears the lesson was going to continue for too long for the children to be doing nothing.

Personal – why did I feel this way?:

I felt stressed as I was new to the classroom so I needed to ensure that the children saw me as a professional adult. If they started playing whilst under my supervision, they may feel that would be acceptable whilst I am leading. Alongside this, I wanted the supervisor to see me as an able practitioner who she could trust.

Ethics – did I act for the best? What factors were influencing me?:

I felt that I did act for the best as it made me confident in my ability to be quick thinking. I was influenced to create an extension task by the children’s behavior as they were becoming rowdy so I wanted to give them something to do. I was also influenced by the time as I was unsure of how much longer they had left so I wanted to keep the children engaged and productive.

Reflectivity – how could I have handled this better? What would have been the consequences of alternative actions? How do I feel now about the experience? How can I support myself and others better in the future?:

I could have handled the situation better by being quicker to get a whiteboard and create more questions for the children as then the children would still be productive. However, if I had not got a whiteboard, the children could have potentially gotten even more restless and then disrupt the rest of the class. I feel glad that I experienced the situation as, if anything similar arose, I would feel more confident in creating unplanned extension tasks for the children. I can support myself better in the future by finding out the lessons plans and what my activities will be with the children so I can plan in advance any extension tasks.

Overall, I was successful in using Johns’s (2006) model to structure my reflection. However, there are aspects which could be developed. Firstly, the ‘looking in’ and the ‘looking out’ sections should be swapped around as, when I read my reflections back, it seems odd to read my feelings before finding out about the event. As this model is not cyclical, I find that, being a visual learner, it is not appealing to look at or to understand how each section connects and explain how the events and feelings link together to create a future solution. If it took a cyclical approach similar to Gibb’s Reflective Cycle (1988) then perhaps the connections would be clearer. It has been noted that a more cyclical and multi-dimensional approach gives the practitioner a greater analysis of an event due to the flow of the model (Black and Plowright, 2010). Alongside this, the ‘looking in’ section is very brief as there were not separate questions compared to ‘looking out’. It is also brief in contrast to De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats (De Bono, 1990) as this model allows the practitioner to completely focus and deeply analyse one subject at a time (Payette and Barnes, 2017). This means, if I used De Bono’s (1990) method, the separate ‘hats’ may enable me to reflect further on my feelings as I would have been given a specific time dedicated to that aspect. Furthermore, the sub-headings for each section of analysis is confusingly worded. For example, ‘aesthetics’ and ‘ethics’ seems to convey something different. When completing this model, I felt I was constantly checking that I was writing accordingly for each section as I was unsure what the headings meant. This model has been marketed towards professionals who have not reflected before however, the headings are too complicated and academic which becomes de-moralizing when completing as their meaning is unclear. The array of ‘cue’ questions meant that Johns’s (2006) model became extremely time-consuming. Also, as there was a range of questions, some were not relevant to my situation therefore I had to pick a select few which did fit. This meant my time for reflection was disrupted as, for every section, I had to read and evaluate the relevance of every question.

Despite this, Johns’s (2006) model for structured reflection was a useful tool for reflecting. The model provided guidance from the ‘cue’ questions. Each section had multiple questions which meant I was thoroughly exploring and depicting the events and my emotions. Each question allowed me to unfold a different aspect of the situation and therefore created clarity on why I choose my actions. A good model of reflection, according to Harford and MacRuairc (2008), must inspire the practitioner to think alternatively and the selection of questions within John’s (2006) model creates that as the reflector explores multiple angles about the situation. Alongside this, the ‘Looking in’ aspect within Johns’s (2006) model also supported my reflection. This section allowed me to relax and explain my emotions without any structure as I was not answering any question. Therefore, it felt very therapeutic to complete as I was able to release any built-up stress whilst knowing I would be reflecting logically later within the model. An added benefit when completing a reflectional model, is the potential support for a practitioner’s mental health as they may be able to de-stress and reduce their anxiety over a situation (Saunders, Tractenberg, Chaterji, Amri, Harazduk, Gordon, Lumpkin and Haramati, 2007). Therefore, Johns’s (2006) model does act as a stress management tool as I investigate and create clarity over a challenging scenario. Johns’s (2006) model is also supportive as it could be argued that it is not a deficit model in comparison to Gibb’s reflective cycle (Ghaye, 2011). Whilst reflecting, I highlight the positives of my actions and then explain what could be improved but in a constructive manner. Debate is encouraged within Johns’s (2006) model as I answer questions such as ‘did I act for the best?’. This question was thought-provoking as, at first, I explain and justify my choices which gives me a confident boast as I understand the reasoning behind my actions. I then go on to uncover if other actions would have been more appropriate to use in the future which supports my professional development instead of feeling unsure of my abilities.

Critical reflection is the process of critiquing and un-earthing the beliefs that a practitioner holds to create an unbiased reflection (Hickson, 2011, p. 831). Johns’s (2006) model does support critical reflection as I explore how my beliefs and behaviours impact my reflection. This has been noted to be the most important aspect of critical reflection as I am able to uncover the reasoning of my decisions therefore, I am able to learn about myself (Nicol and Dosser, 2015). Critical reflection is apparent within the ‘ethics’ section as I answer whether I acted for the best and if there were factors influencing me. Brookfield (1992) explains that practitioners hold assumptions that also effects how a situation is perceived. Within Johns’s (2006) ‘ethics’ section I explore those influencing factors and debate how my assumptions impacted me. Alongside this, Johns’s (2006) model enables me to understand that I felt that way due to the specific circumstances that I was put under which is also an aspect of Brookfield’s ‘uncovering assumptions’ (Brookfield, 1992). Despite this, Johns’s (2006) model provides a limited level of critical reflection as I do not reach a point of deep reflection that allows me to fully unearth and critique my beliefs. Therefore, my assumptions still influence my outlook on the event as John’s (2006) model predominately focuses on exploring my beliefs but fails to calculate them into my reflection.

In conclusion, Johns Model for Structured Reflection (2006) was a supportive tool to aid my first reflection. When completing Johns’s (2006) model, the rigid structure meant I knew what aspect of the scenario to explore therefore I would not start discussing anything off-topic. The model had an array of ‘cue’ questions to answer and this facilitated me to fully investigate the situation and understand my feelings. Even though not all ‘cue’ questions were relevant to me, there were still a range to choose from. As this model was designed for first-time reflectors, the model is very thorough and ensured that I considered every aspect of the event. This meant that Johns’s (2006) model was time-consuming to complete however I appreciated the level of guidance as I will be able to develop my reflectional skills. In comparison to Gibb’s (1988), Johns’s (2006) model is not cyclical which, personally, I find creates a more visually appealing reflection to understand. The format of Johns’s (2006) model would be the main feature I would change to improve this model as I find that the cyclical layout of Gibb’s (1988) creates clarity on the chain of events within a situation. In terms of critical reflection, Johns’s (2006) model does allow the practitioner to challenge their assumptions and opinions on an event due to being able to discuss influencing factors within the ‘ethics’ section. Overall, I would use this model again, especially if I was reflecting on a difficult situation, as I feel this model explores every aspect thoroughly meaning I would understand the circumstances I was in and how this impacted upon my actions.

Suits and Ties

Studying the habits of human beings, theorists have proposed different ways in which humans interact with one another. Humans associate with people through similar passions, interests, backgrounds, or beliefs. I currently want to pursue a career as a financial analyst. A financial analyst is someone that helps prevent financial risks for large enterprises and companies. So in this essay, I will explain why I want to become a financial analyst.

But what is a discourse community? A discourse community is a group of individuals who cluster together based on a common interest, passion, or ideology. John set forth a model diagram in “The Concept of Discourse Community” that outlined six characteriscs required of a discourse community. The six characters are: there must be a set of common goals, use mechanisms for intercommunication among members, have information and feedback engagement, utilize different genres of communication, specific jargon unique to the community, and there must be a flow of new members with relevant expertise into the community (472-473). The first characteristic is essentially the purpose of the group. Since a band of individuals are coming together, they must have common interests and a sort of goal they all work towards. This does not mean that they have to work on it the same way or together, but they share the same end goal. The second and fourth points are intertwined, since communication among members of a group paves the way for genres to form. A genre is a method of communication within a discourse community. The third point is essential for keeping the group updated and performing at its best. When there is communication, the clashing of opinions is inevitable, and this is encouraged in discourse communities as feedback engagement. Moreover, the jargon unique to the community make up the shared language that is indecipherable outsiders, which require new members to possess background knowledge of the field. Lastly, the flow of new members must surpass a certain threshold that is needed to keep the group active. This is the case for families, clubs, and classrooms; all circles that people encounter in their lifetime. A career is arguably one of the biggest and most important discourse communities. On average, people in America spend over half their life working. With jobs taking up such a huge portion of everyone’s lives, it is important to diagnose and reflect on a career choice.

My discourse community is a subcategory within the business and corporate field; my personal role within this community is being a financial analyst. This specific community has many overlapping qualities with the business and professional industry. Specifically, my focus specializes with analyze large sums of data and provide suggestions for businesses or individuals. This field is accurately depictive of a discourse community because it meets the six characteristics. Like all discourse communities, this community has a set of common goals and aims, the main one being to. Analysts have one job to do: organize and assess data. Whether they work at a bank or for a large corporate office, analysts will be working with numbers on finance. My discourse community inter communicates with each other and other larger communities to effectively do their job through email, presentations, legal documents, telephone calls, and meetings. Communication is critical to for keeping an organization running. Mistakes can cause catastrophic effects, ranging from loss of large sums of potential money to bankruptcy. It is essential to be able to communicate effectively so businesses or individuals can take in more opportunities. Through the many genres, the analysts receive information on the status of the business, which then is processed and evaluated in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Analysts also communicate with one another, exchanging ideas on the optimal method of approaching situations. Further, they give and receive constructive feedback to one another through constructive criticism and professional advice. It may come off as rude, but it’s simply because people in this industry are more blunt. As the business field is always fast-paced and cutthroat, it is crucial for analysts to stay up to date on data by researching and sorting through papers. Communication is filled with jargons that are widely known to the public. Such lexis include equity, balance, debt, interest, credit, loans, investments, and more. the professionals in the business field are the ones who truly understand the concepts and apply them the most effectively. Lastly, the business field includes experienced analysts, with much higher ranking positions, along with newer members in training such as interns. Since it is usually based off hierarchical structure, the older someone is they will usually be a lot more experienced; thus, they will be up higher on the chain. The business field is often structured so with time, people from lower ranks climb the ladder and gain a better position in the corporate world. This mixture of new and experienced members helps the business community keep a constant flow of progressing generations. This community appealed to me in many ways that can be explained through a series of events in my life.

To be a successful financial analyst, it is critical to embody the traits of determination and diligence. Being hardworking and going above and beyond is the only way to survive the rigorous and brutal environment. To get through this obstacle, one must put in the time and effort to master the tactics in becoming a skillful analyst who can make the best judgements for clients. I am fully committed to make it through the demands of this onerous career. Financial analysts need to remain vigilant about gathering information on the macroeconomy, as well as information about specific companies and the fundamental microeconomics of their balance sheets. Analysts will be given new data sheets to analyze every day or so. To do well, you must stay on top of the work. Analysts also frequently attend conferences with colleagues who share the same specialty as they do. When in the office, analysts learn to be proficient with spreadsheets, relational databases, and statistical and graphics packages in order to develop recommendations for senior management and to produce detailed presentations and financial reports that include forecasting, cost-benefit analysis, trending,results, and analysis. Analysts also interpret financial transactions and must verify documents for their compliance with government regulations.

One artifact that is essential in my field is Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel is a core software program in any professional work environment. This software program allows the user to sort and manage data in a concise and organized manner.The data that is put into this program can generate trends, track trends, find anomalies and other parts of the business. An artifact that works perfectly in hand with Excel is PowerPoint. THese two programs are by far the most important. Powerpoint is needed for all meetings.. Powerpoitns deliver the message an analyst wants to get across. In these meetings, the analysts will present data and this could affect consequential actions afterwards.

Conflict in my discourse community can be because of a fight for a higher status. Since it is largely in a corporate setting, many individuals are seeking to advance themselves in the structure. The higher you go, the more money and benefits you gain. This means that everyone is in for themselves; thus, it creates a cut throat environment that does not allow for mistakes or slip ups.

I originally sought out to be a dentist. Dentists were well respected, decently paid, and was pushed for by my parents. Currently, I am taking Chemistry 1A. It’s a living hell for me. I am stuck in class for over 4 hours. At the end of the first week of class, I was exhausted and found myself hating the class. But I didn’t give up the dream just yet. I was looking into opportunities to discover and learn more about the path to becoming a dentist. So I joined a USC Dental Hygiene Programs Tour. It was only then a bomb was dropped on me. The tour specialist, who also is a representative for the Dental Hygiene department at USC, gave a list of classes that were required for us to take. I would have to take Chem 1B, Organic Chemistry, Biology 1A, Micro-Biology, Physics, and Multivariable Calculus. After returning home, I didn’t know if I could continue down this path. I would have to be cooped up in courses that required huge amounts of hours spent in a lab and an additional large sum of hours mastering the contents. I tried imagining myself pushing through these courses and I could see myself breaking down and regretting life. The only thing that didn’t have me completely giving up being a dentist was the salary amount. Desperate to see where my path in life would go, I extensively researched the costs and benefits of this profession. I was hit with the reality that to make the salary I wanted, I would have to work hard for 10 or more years paying off college debt before getting a decent income.

That was the last straw; I was determined to drop this goal. But, I was confused as to what I would be. And for a good couple of weeks, I never had an answer. While scrolling through YouTube, I found a video that caught my eye, “Top Best Paid Undergraduate Majors”. So I watched the video and found that the Finance major was often well off and did not have much college debt. I was impressed by the statistics behind finance majors and the jobs surrounding the industry. For days, I set off to feed my curiosity and discover all there is to know about this field. I scoured through websites and bought books on stories surrounding the industry. I discovered that the stereotypes surrounding jobs in business or finance fit my own personal description: analytical, calculative, straightforward, and cunning. Jobs were professional with meetings and supervisors. I could imagine myself working in this environment. Jobs surrounding finance suggested to me financial stability. I read a lot on the job descriptions of the jobs. I am still not completely set on which career path I would like to take. A large portion of what keeps me motivated to do the work is the money. I want the money and fast. I don’t think that this is necessarily bad. Growing up in a lower middle class family, I am very grateful for the opportunities I was offered. However, I want to make sure my children live in a much more prosperous environment where money is not exactly an issue. I project that my career will still always be in the business or finance industry even if I don’t choose to be a financial analysts. Jobs in these fields typically don’t have a large sum of college debts and loans weighing over individuals. Additionally, their pay starts off better than most careers and still gets better over time. It may sound greedy, but I am perfectly okay with that. The world is going crazy with debts, loans, and financial irresponsibility; the economy constantly fluctuates and the prices on everything is rising. I think having a bit more money than happiness is more important because it will help me and my family get by.

Between Good Writing and College-Level Writing

A great writer of amazing stories like “Narnia” CS Lewis states that “You can make anything by writing” is easily compared to, writing experts who expect college essays to be done on a different level. Many writers believe that completing an essay should be done a certain fashion. These scholars and experts think that writing should be targeted to a specific audience that is going to receive the essay. As well as, using theories and communities to bring good writing to the level of college level writing.

Additionally, students face many difficulties when writing, in the article it shows examples on the university students who wrote essays for Bartholomae and showed each of the different errors it had in their essays. In the article “Inventing the University’’, Bartholomae states, “the privilege of being “insiders” that is, of being both inside an established and powerful discourse, and of being granted a special right to speak.” He’s sees writing as a way of thinking or know about a certain topic. The mistakes he pointed out are common, but Bartholomae gives advice on how to fix them in “inventing the university” he states, “to speak with authority… with power and wisdom” (17). Bartholomae way to improve college-level material is to persuade the audience and take over the topic. He goes over a concept called the commonplace, He defines it as “a culturally or institutionally authorized concept or statement that carries with it its own necessary elaboration” (7). We should use commonplace to help us focus on writing, have a better understanding of the audience’s knowledge, position and write for the reader and not the writer.

Furthermore, the use of intertextuality and discourse community can improve college-level writing. Porter explains his intertextuality theory, in the article “Intertextuality and the Discourse Community” Porter explains the two types of intertextuality are iterability (or repeatability) and presupposition (or “assumptions a text makes about its referent, its readers, and its context”). The iterability is what marks the intention of the writer, it’s what the writer is going to repeat in the essay multiple times. And the presupposition helps the writer make a connection within the essay. He uses the Declaration of Independence as an example he explains that it cannot be considered original work. It was written from other ideas with the same purpose and audience, he got all his ideas and phrases from others, but it wasn’t considered plagiarism., We must rethink on what plagiarism is in writing because that’s when real creativity happens. To write college-level material we need to form a purpose or argument but without any knowledge on the subject, a proper paper can’t be produced. Plagiarism is inevitable based on Porters ideas because research is needed before an opinion or argument can be synthesized. The discourse community, Porter defines discourse community as “a group of individuals bounded by a common interest who communicate through approved channels and whose discourse is regulated”. Connect ourselves in communities or people with the same subject that can influence our work. We should find our discourse community, to find that acceptability that our work needs to become better writer able to write college-level material.

Apart from this, Elizebeth Wardle describes Etienne Wegner theory on the three interrelated modes of belonging: engagement, imagination, and alignment as stated in the article “Learning to Write in New Workplaces” by Elizabeth Wardle. We should use the three to become better college-level writer by using engagement to build interpersonal connections between the community, imagination is next helps form out identity in writing and alignment is the last step these makes us grab all the ideas or concepts we have accumulated and start bringing it into our writing. She also refers to having authority in our writing if it’s for school or a job. Wardle gives us an example in the article “Learning to Write in New Workplaces” when she talks about Alan, how he tried to use authority over people, where he didn’t have authority over them in the first place, this caused the community around him to not take him serious. This connects to on how to write a college-level paper in many ways it can make us think on how, failing to have authority can lead to writers not being taken serious by the reader. But having too much authority can worsen the writing by adding to much information that’s not needed. This will lead to the reader not taking ones writing serious, so having a balance in our text is what will bring out a college-level paper.

In addition, James E Porter and Wardle both talk about identity. Wardle clarifies how personality can be changed within communities. This implies that certain work can cause self-personality issues. In the article (Intertextuality and the Discourse Community), the word intertextuality is compared to the discourse community. Intertextuality is the idea of text having traces of other articles in it. The writer is disregarded and only the textual content matters. This is comparable to Wardle’s thinking of identity. The communities of practice from time to time violate a person’s view of themselves or a person’s social efficacy. An identification can be modified by means of an article or even a view of society.

Finally, a way on how to write a college-level paper, is to use the prewriting, writing and rewriting process stated in the article “Teach Writing as a Process, Not Product”. He states that the prewriting stage is what takes the most time and the most important step, it’s when we should be aware of the topic we have chosen for our college-level paper and that’s when notes are taken and the start of the outline. Then comes the writing for the first draft. It’s bound to make mistakes in our first draft that’s the process, but Donald Murray wants the writer to become encouraged to discover their voice in writing. And the last step rewriting is to gather all the feedback one has gotten back from reviewing the first draft, to make a solid final draft of a college-level paper.

The process to write a college-level paper can be a difficult task. But scholars and Expert writers use the concept of discourse communities that can help elevate normal essays to the level of college written material. Bartholomé gave us the concept of the common place, to help the writer focus and understand the audience he is writing for. Murray gave us the stages we should follow prewriting, writing and rewriting that makes college-level writing flow at a faster pace. In order to produce a college-level paper we must use these concepts and ideas that theses scholars and Experts have given, when writing an essay.

As many people know a selfie is a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone. Selfies are often associated with social networking, like Instagram, Facebook, and other social media. Everyone in the whole world takes selfies for a variety of reasons. it can be from serving as a remembrance of an important moment of someone’s life that can be shared with others, or even just because they want to express the way they feel about themselves and want others to view who they are about themselves. Selfies can also express many characteristics of one another by culture, ethnicity, and even history.

In this whole concept of selfie and what it says about one another, I have chosen a selfie that revels a lot about who I am and just by one selfie it can really express to many people who I am as a person. I took a selfie a last week in which I was getting ready to go to the fair, after I was done getting ready, I had decided to take a selfie that I did not expect many people will like on social media. The selfie is just me, smiling with my curly hair and wearing a sparkly black shirt. overall this image captures the colors of the main focus, that being my face, are quite warm, from the blush on my cheeks to my “selfie smile”. These features contrast very much with my darker textured hair, and darker side attire. The selfie really lets others view who I am and what I was feeling right there and then. It not only expresses and represents happiness but also revels others what kind of person I am. This is when culture comes in hand, many people revel and think that I have certain beliefs in the way I dress and assume that I am not allowed to wear certain clothes just because of the clothing I wear in my selfies. Many people mistakenly think that just because I am Hispanic that we all have to wear certain clothes, but its certainly not true. Many people around social media tend to assume so much about one simply selfie, but what they don’t know is that each culture is unique and systematically made different, and cultures have their own beliefs and ways of life. moreover, cultures have their own language, values, set their own rules, and mores. Many people don’t understand how culture works and how selfies are just not always the one thing to assume about who they really are.

I believed that as I took that selfie of myself, it has shown me who I am in just one simple shot. It revels so much about myself as I know for myself, and I know who I really am in just one picture. With that being said in my selfie it reveals how I am such a happy person and represents how caring I am to others in variety ways. I am not only a smiley person but also try my best to put a smile on other people’s faces. I always told myself that the new selfie that I take each time is another selfie that represents more of me to others. it reminds me of the book we are currently reading in which one part had stated “Each print may be subtly different from the last, but no one print is original” (Bishop Pg. 110) this pretty much states how each selfie or picture someone takes reveals something about them in variety or ways, it can be from good or it can be bad. My selfie really expresses how I am as a person even if people don’t see it, I know that the other half do take a look and automatically know who I am. I think that as far as how I revel myself, I still find myself gathering my thoughts on what much I can say about myself. I just think that my selfie really revels many characteristics and how those characteristics can represent me as a young 21yr old girl.

I believe that my selfie is an atypical of my image, as google defined what atypical means it stated, “The definition of atypical is someone or something unusual or abnormal” (google) it’s basically stating how someone is not only different but also has variety of feelings and how our behavior is represented that is uncommon on situations. In this case I do feel like my image is atypical because it does revel how many aspects of my selfie, not only does it reveal how others comments does not affect me but also gives a short image of how I am different in a sense to others. I also believe that an image that contains an atypical capture does not represent much of a person but represents many characteristics of them. Many will reveal how it’s not true but, in most cases, not every image will capture the full story of the person. But will capture the key colors of them meaning it will capture the expressions of them and from there assume who they are.

As far as how selfies go and how overall how images captures who we are all as person I do find that it will give a full landscape to others. Meaning it will provide many people around social media who is someone as a person and how do they express themselves in a selfie. We will be aware that emotions and photography will come hand to hand when it comes to our selfies. Emotions in a photograph, or any work of art, is what helps a viewer connect with a piece if that emotion is prevalent in the viewer. Emotions, or a feeling, is what can bring a snapshot out of obscurity and make it shine. And that’s when photograph comes in hand in which its viewed by many details in an image and captures many characteristics that provide a closer look in a person. photograph, images, and portraits really all gives a hint of what people are and what makes them a unique person. everything in an image gives a brief understanding of how many people are expressing themselves in just a selfie or any kind of image.

The practice of marking a wall to record and communicate traces back to the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt, though in the modern day, it resembles more so the “tags” of New York that trace all the way back to the 1960’s. Today, these markings are considered street art or graffiti depending on their message. A common misconception within the community is that the terms graffiti and street art may be used interchangeably, however I find that to not necessarily be the case. From my perspective, it appears as though they have many commonalities being composed of the same elements and one cannot exist without the other, but they are not the same in terms of intention. Street art is often commissioned or preserved under the supervision of the city and shares thought-provoking messages made clear by the artist, whereas Graffiti is not approved by anyone beforehand and the painter often does not want to discuss the purpose of their work.

I consider street artistry to be more of a secondary sociological group, for the reason that there are much larger impersonal settings in which the artists interact with each other and is not as emotionally tight-knit as a family, significant other or even an arts collective might be. Primary groups are composed of people that we interact with every day and hold great significance over our social development due to their ways of serving emotional needs and expression rather than pragmatism. While both groups are similar in organization and purpose, they distinct themselves when it comes to execution and impact. Primary groups are believed to support expressive function, while task-focused and time limited secondary groups go on to serve a considerably more instrumental function within society. It is important to take into consideration that both groups are viable aspects of social life as there are no rules when it comes to social groups and it is healthy for people to move from one group to another.

Art will always be questioned in its originality and authenticity, however I have noticed more often than ever that the same concepts and aesthetics are being recycled due to their popularity and relevance within today’s society. It is no secret that a number of the artists on Pinterest, Etsy and even local markets garner inspiration from the works of others, but put their own small personal touch on it to avoid facing potential consequences for copyright. For example, there are a number of online accounts selling personalized Disneyland mouse ears. Technically, that would be a copyright infringement due to the fact that Disney owns the mouse ear logo, along with all of the characters from each movie. However, by making small alterations, utilizing the technology available today and crediting Disney merely as a source of inspiration for their work, shop owners have found great success in selling their ears online at a much lower cost than the park does. In the same way, there are only so many possible chords and keys on a piano. Very few people notice how a number of popular songs in the world share similar, if not the same chords though there are different lyrics. It might be argued that the song was written with those chords because they are audibly appealing to the audience and the artist felt deeply inspired by the works that came before. On the other hand, the song might have been written with those chords simply for the reason that they are relevant in today’s society and therefore will attract a larger audience out of relevance, in turn, becoming mainstream.

Thierry Guetta’s interactions with well-established street artists such as Banksy, Invader and Shepard Fairey served as a massive social resource for him in learning (or, appearing to, at least) what the street-art world is about and how to find success in it. Banksy in particular is a very skilled and known street artist, producing iconic works that serve as cultural symbols. It is likely that they could have inspired Guetta artistically during the period he recorded his experiences with them, though he would repeatedly tell them that he was producing a film when that was not the case. I find more logic in the theory that Guetta more so took advantage of his personal connections with Banksy in being his LA tour guide in order to get in with the artistically elite and understand how they produce new works at such a high caliber of relevance. Guetta’s experience with the fashion industry and trends as a former clothing shop owner undoubtedly serves as a considerable cultural resource for him in navigating what is and is not relevant. His ability to resell what is outdated at a higher cost by conjuring some seemingly greater significance served him well in being able to sell his work at exhibits.

I do not believe Mr. Brain Wash to be an authentic street artist. On one end of the spectrum, that could be his exact point in being titled Mr. Brain Wash, however I feel the film puts that into question by providing a look at the inner workings of his mind and artistic process. Thierry never tells Shepard Fairey that he will not be compiling his hours of footage into a film, which suggests that he very well likely used it as a method of studying the ways of the street artist. Guetta unarguably copies a number of Banksy’s concepts and motifs without having any explanation other than ambiguity as to why he chose it or what inspired him to create the piece. Though Thierry might be able to walk, talk, create and sell in the same way any other street artist would; his art lacks what makes it impactful for those who pay attention, which is having something to say and being unafraid to express it.

Holy Thursday is called Maundy Thursday for the reason that the word Maundy comes from the latin, ‘mandatum’, or ‘command’ which refers to the instructions Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper. In many countries the day is known as Holy Thursday and is a public holiday. Maundy Thursday is part of Holy Week and is always the last Thursday before Easter.

There are a few theories about why Good Friday is called Good Friday, but only one seems to be supported by linguists and by historical evidence. And it is the theory that Good Friday is called Good Friday because, Christians believe that there is something very good about it. They say that it is the anniversary of Jesus suffering and dying for their sins. That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations.

The meaning of Easter is different for each student, traditions are a common bond for some students, as is the changes that come each year to their Easter celebration.

Honestly, today is the first time I truly understand the meaning and the reason why we celebrated Easter or Holy week. Back then, I thought it’s just a week without going to school and a rest from everything, just a simple holiday. But today as I brows the internet I realized that it has deeper meaning rather that just a mere holiday.

Looking back, I realized that I celebrate Easter because it brings me back to a period of time where I can focus and improve on my faith. It is the time of year to reflect on my actions and prepare myself spiritually for the year. Easter is also a reminder that the resurrection of Jesus was a sign of hope for our own eternal life. I celebrate Easter to remind myself that God is with me, I reflect on the teachings of Jesus as it will help me to lead a faithful Christian life and obtain eternal life in heaven. Easter isn’t all about decorations, the Easter bunny or Easter eggs but is about the hope of eternal life and that God sent his only begotten Son down on earth for the forgiveness of our sins.

We celebrate Easter because of the hope the resurrection provides for us all. We celebrate it because it’s the time when Jesus rose back from the dead. Jesus taught us about many things that relate to Easter such as his teaching on eternal life, judgement and the Beatitudes. They all link together and all are very important Catholic beliefs as we need to follow the Beatitudes and not judge others if we want to gain eternal life.

No matter what Easter stands for us students , we still have different ways on preparing to spend the holiday in our own way. But having different plans doesn’t remove the essence of the Holy Week.

In this essay I will be analysing the painting ‘The Entombment of Christ.’ I chose this painting as it stood out to me more than the other two options. I think this was because it is an image that I would know the story behind due to learning religion throughout school unlike the other two art pieces. It was also clear to see that there was a lot of meaning behind it.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was born in 1571 near Milan, Italy. (Caravaggio: Italian Baroque Painter, Founder of Caravaggism, 2021) He was an Italian painter who was well known for the intense and disturbing realism of his wide range of religious art works. (Caravaggio | Italian painter, 2021)

Caravaggio created the Entombment of Christ, which is a medium oil painting on canvas. This painting is a religious and historical painting and is considered to be one of the ‘greatest paintings ever.’ This painting is located in Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome. (The Entombment of Christ, Caravaggio: Analysis, 2021) September 1604 is when it is known that Caravaggio presented The Entombment of Christ, which was commissioned by Girolamo Vittrice for the main altar of his family chapel in the Roman church of Santa Maria in Vallicella. (The invited work: The Entombment of Christ, Caravaggio – Exhibition – Museo Nacional del Prado, 2021)

Michelangelo Caravaggio devoted his whole life to painting, being active in Sicily, Malta, Naples and Rome. In each of Caravaggio’s paintings, he demonstrates a combination of both emotional and physical elements which makes his paintings fascinating and memorable to the public. Like in many of Caravaggio’s other paintings, there is dramatic use of lighting evident in The Entombment of Christ. (The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio, 2021) Caravaggio was described as being ‘arrogant, rebellious and a murderer’ during his life. His short and reckless life matched his work. Caravaggio’s paintings were controversial, popular, and highly influential in succeeding generations of painters all over Europe. Caravaggio was keen to study the classical buildings and famous works of art which led him in to move to Rome in 1592 at the age of 21. For Caravaggio he struggled throughout his first few years. He started out specialising in still-life of fruits and flowers and later turned to half-length figures which he sold in the street. However, in 1595, his luck changed. His talent for painting was recognised by Francesco del Monte, a cardinal and Caravaggio was invited into his household. (The National Gallery, 2021)

The Entombment of Christ is a ‘Baroque painting’ which across Europe reflects the political and cultural changes. (Baroque Painting: History, Characteristics, Styles, 2021) The Baroque period started during the 16th century with the Reformation and the Counter Reformation being very significant events of this era. (The Baroque Period | Boundless Art History, 2021) From learning about the Reformation in school I know that it was an important movement by Martin Luther King which caused a divide in Christianity – into Roman Catholic and Protestantism.

In art criticism the word Baroque described anything out of the ordinary, anything bizarre, unusual or far from established rules and proportions. (Baroque art and architecture | Definition, Characteristics, Artists, History,

In the book “Believing is seeing: Creating the culture of art”, Staniszewski considered art in many aspects. There are some here: (1) Art, like photography and popular culture, is a field of representation that is unique to modernity, and it is meant to augment out understanding of cultural creations both different and including our own. (2) Art is an original creation, produced by an individual gifted with genius. This creation is primarily an object of aesthetic beauty, separate from everyday life. (3) Art develops in conjunction with a revolutionary transformation of the way in which an individual conceives humanity in Western culture.

I never fail to agree with the idea of author because art, itself abstract, is difficult to make a clear definition, as it has infinite understanding that is no right or wrong, but I want to express my understanding specifically. My definition of art for landscape painting especially, is that it should emphasize on observing the beauty of the nature scenery and objects, and simultaneously, expressing the combination of understanding, ideals and emotions of the aesthetic subject. Although the painter has the freedom to create their own technique of painting, what they depict must be authentic and conform to visual reality. From spiritual level, landscape paintings always present local culture, contemporary life style of people, social atmosphere, historical background, human’s desire to the nature, painters’ or protagonists’ emotion and situation expressed through the painting and the relationship between human and nature. Landscape painting can also depict the architectural style sometimes, and represent the painting style and people’s pursue to art at that time.

The first painting is called “European Scene with Stone Bridge” [Fig 1] by Joseph Hidley in the 1860s, picture from Albany Institute of History and Art. As the name suggests, the painting depicts the scenery of Europe that contains a remarkable stone bridge in the middle, a large body of water (seems like creek afflux into a big lake) as the main background, two people (maybe knights or cavaliers) on the horses facing with each other at one side of the bridge. On the far sides are romanticized castles that represent typical European style of castle. Details are also delineated quite elaborately, such as large groups of clouds in the sky blew by wind unregularly, image of castles in the water, small stones and ducks staying in the creek, the flowing stream under the bridge and how it rushed downwards to hit the stones. This painting accords with my definition of art about the authenticity of the content. We can find that images of objects, shape of the clouds, direction of the waterflow all satisfy natural phenomena. The painting also represents contemporary culture and humanity by its appearance of castles and people on the horses that corresponds with the “European Scene”, because castles are very common in Europe, they do symbolize nobleness, wealth and places where nobility live, but their popularity among rustic areas make castles symbols when depicting European culture on the painting. The stone bridge which is the “theme” of the painting, also evokes people’s association with European style. The position of the bridge suggests its function in the painting that serves as the “backbone” of the print which makes it more vivid.

The second painting is called “Washington’s Headquarters, Newburgh, New York” [Fig 2], attributed to Raphael Hoyle in 1836, and it was a gift to Jane Rosell to Albany Institute of History & Art in 1987. Used by George Washington as his headquarters from April 1982 to August 1983, this house in Newburgh, New York originally belonged to Jonathan and Tryntjc Hasbrouck. Washington stayed at this headquarter longer than any other during the eight and a half years of American Revolution. Washington rejected the idea of an American monarchy here; he created the Badge of Military Merit which was a forerunner of the Purple Heart; he also wrote a letter to state governors outlining key principles for the new republic, and he ended the war by proclaiming the Cessation of Hostilities. The Schuylers and their family were believed to be frequent guests of the headquarter as they had compact relationship with George Washington, as we can see in the painting, two people were talking at each other on the path in front of the headquarter, and might be used to depict the scenery of the reception of guests (probably Schuylers) by Washington. This painting corresponded to my understanding of art that it expressed the political situation of the protagonist and political background of that era. It seemed to depict the architecture of the headquarter itself, with dense trees, grass, mountain and water surrounded, but its motif was to reflect Washington’s political success during the American Revolution, and the wonderful view of the nature and livestock on the grass in front of the house might symbolized his aspiration towards freedom and democracy of United States as he rejected the American Monarchy.

The third painting is called “Venetian Twilight” [Fig 3], by Walter Launt Palmer in 1896, with watercolor, gouache, and crayon on composition board, and it was a gift of Beatrice Palmer to Albany Institute of history & Art in 1942. This painting depicted the nightfall of Venice: watercourse (inner part of Adriatic Sea) which is the symbol of Venice was presented in the front of the painting, with several boats on the water surface; on the far side was night scene of city Venice, incorporated the famous towel and the brightly lit scene of downtown along the water, reflecting the prosperity of Venice. This painting also fits my definition of art in that it expressed the combination of understanding and ideals of the aesthetic subject. Though at the first glance the painting aimed at revealing the beauty of Venice, if viewers enjoy carefully, they would have an immersed sense as if they were really in the painting, sitting on the boat flowing on the water surface, enjoying the twilight of Venice. The slightly floating rippling, gold colored light reflecting on the water, azure sky, and feeble sunset glow on the far side constituted a dreamy and visionary entirety. Though it was a twilight scene, the color was partially bright which made views pleased and comfortable, that quite accorded with aesthetic view, visual reality and natural phenomena (authenticity).

The fourth painting is called “The Hay Wain” [Fig 4], by John Constable in 1821, now in National Gallery, London. It is from the Gardner Textbook. This painting portrayed the idyllic scenery during the Romanticism period. The most remarkable object of this painting was in the middle of it, that a man led a horse (or ox) and a wagon filled with hay, going forward slowly in the shallow crook. Background was common landscape of countryside, incorporated an austere cottage, grassland, trees, gold leaves that fell on the grass and in the water, blue sky, and whimsical clouds. This painting corresponds with my definition of art in that it ostensibly depicted the tranquil atmosphere of the village life of rustic residents and labors, but it reflected some deep meaning hard for viewers to observe which referred to social atmosphere, political issues and historical background here. The painter used the painting to cherish the fleeting memory of rural pastoralism, and to reflect the civil unrest of the agrarian working class and the resulting outbreaks of violence and arson. The worker in the middle of the painting symbolized how labors of the working class and the peasant class pursue freedom and nature at that social background, yearning for working in peaceful atmosphere in the village. In addition, this painting also reflected the thought of Romanticism, that was desire for freedom in multiple aspects like politics, feelings, thoughts, etc, which paralleled to my definition of art about contemporary painting style and art style.

The fifth painting is the notable one, “Impression: Sunrise” [Fig 5], by Claude Monet in 1872, now in Marmottan Museum, Paris. It is from the Gardner Textbook. The scene was quite familiar, which depicted the sunrise of a normal day at the port, and the boats in the middle of the picture departed very early for fishing or other purposes. The biggest difference of this kind of painting between others was that it was the work of impressionism, as the painter Monet captured the important function of light and color in delineating nature that finally appeared in viewers’ eyes. Monet painted the landscape emphasizing on transitory and momentary. Newly appearance of pigments also served as a significant factor impacting Monet’s idea of painting in that Monet had multiple choices of colors so that he could utilized the chromatic aberration to portray and emphasize all tiny subjects in the painting, like the sun, reflection of sunlight and boats on the water, rippling, the port, etc. This painting accorded with my definition of art as it reflected the contemporary style of art and painting, that was impressionism here. Definitely Monet was the founder of the art movement, of which brushstrokes were undecorated and apparent, composition was broad and boundless, focusing on switch of shadow and light, and impression of time.

The sixth painting is called “The picture of Xiaoxiang” [Fig 6], by Dong Yuan, China, during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (AD. 907-979), and it is in Palace Museum, Beijing, China. Xiaoxiang refers to Xiao River and Xiang River in Hunan Province which afflux into Dongting Lake, and the painting depicted the area full of river and lake, and mountain. I chose a Chinese painting here to make a brief compare with western ones. It is obvious that the painting looks quite different with others, and the disparities can be concluded from several aspects such as color, idea of creation, utilization of space. As we can see the color used in Chinese landscape painting was mainly ink, which was in line with modesty, plainness and clear-mind in Chinese culture. In addition, Chinese painting focused on the creation method and mentality of harmony between nature, heart and mind, regarding it as the highest realm of painting, so painters used curves and lines to express such idea. This also conforms with my definition of art, as Chinese paintings emphasize on observing the beauty of the nature scenery and objects, and guarantee authenticity and visual reality at the same time. It also embodies the core idea of Chinese culture as I stated in the description above as well as definition in the very beginning of the paper.

In conclusion, art, whatever how much freedom it advocates which can be embodied in its technique expression, or how much imagination it exerts incarnated in its idea of creation, or how eastern and western culture show their difference, should always follow the rules of emphasizing observation of beauty of nature but guarantee authenticity and visual reality, expressing the social background, local culture and life style of people, emotion of author or protagonist, and corresponding to the contemporary art style. All the 6 landscape paintings (3 from Albany Institute of Art & History, 2 from the Gardner Textbook, 1 from the website of Palace Museum) reveal their relationship with my definition of art.