Category: Critical Perspectives

Critical Analysis of a Cultural Text

Analysing the cultural text itself.

‘Hand Made in Prison

Today in critical perspectives we were analysing a previous cultural text essay that was written by a student about ‘hand-embodied cushion’. A cushion that was made by prisoners whilst being held in jail, as a task to improve their technical lifeskill, in a hope to give them a trade so as to stop them re-comitting, and coming back into the prison system.

The writer of this post made some very valid points, cross referencing various authors and their works, to over all give a detailed description, and the end, another detailed conclusion on her reasons for believing in a certain way.

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Critical Analysis of ” Ways of Seeing”

Analysing the cultural text itself.

‘Ways of Seeing’

Today in critical perspectives, we analysing John Berger’s text, titled ” Ways of Seeing”

I found this text really interesting, and i had never previously noticed the majority of the points he brought up in this text. Especially in the old paintings. The way the women are perceived as vain if they’re holding a mirror. Also, the male figures which are often painting, are nearly always simply looking at the women, who aren’t wearing anything.

Of course, the one that the paper rotates around, is the ” Men act and women appear”. The more you look at the the photos previously mentioned, the more you notice that the makes are often doing, existing, holding and moving. Where as the women are simply sitting, standing or being admired themselves.

Reading Group – Session 2

The apartment

Georges Perec

What assumptions is the author making?

The author is being quite sexist in the way that he designates the roles in the house. The mother cooks and cleans, the father then goes to work etc. He is also being stereotypical in the way he is writing about the behaviours each family member supposedly has.

What alternative apartment layouts does the author suggest?

By the way the author says ” feelery and smellery’, it makes you realise that there are many words that are named and spoken in a weird fashion. It makes you think into why rooms are also called their names. The way he also talks about open plan living, rather than enclosure challenges the way you’d think of modern day, enclosed living.

How does the spatial arrangement of your home shape the way you live?

It depends how you use the rooms themselves. If you simply use a bedroom, as a place to put a bed, then you would need a large sitting room, however, if you have an open plan home as described above, you can forgo the large sitting room in its place, and simply have a large bedroom where everyone in the house could co-exist.

How has the layout of our homes changed historically and what impact has this had?

As time has passed, we have got closer and closer to open plan living, as we have realised it makes the relatively small space that the majority of us occupy, slightly less claustrophobic. it makes better use of the area itself. Doorways have also decreased in size, as have chimney breasts etc.

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Reading Groups – Session one

Teaching: introduction to teaching critical thinking.

Bell Hooks, 2010

What is this text about?

The text is about sexual and racial discrimination, and also education.

What was the social context?

She went to university at a time where racial discrimination was still acceptable. So she was in a social minority.

What does this extract tell us about the author?

The extract describes how the teachers where both racist and sexist towards here and her peers. It also describes how struggle of joining and pursuing her interest in furthering her academic traits. She also developed a strong personality, and a strong skin, as you would have to after dealing with all the grief from lecturers and peers alike.

What is the social context in which you arrive at University?

I believe that everyone has access to higher education, they just have to pursue their interest in their chosen subject, and excel at it to an extent where they are accepted by a higher education institution. Certain Universities would rather you come from a private school, and certain will take anyone, grades dependant. I think this is wrong, as everyone should have equal chances to progress in life.

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