Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

Orientalism in 19th-Century Art

Western Perceptions and Stereotypes

Orientalist art of the 19th century used realism and a picturistic style to legitimize Western concepts of the Orient. These techniques promoted negative stereotypes, associating the East with inferiority and barbarity. The worn aesthetic often depicted in these works reinforced negative stereotypes of Western culture as well. Furthermore, the realistic technique employed had a metaphoric function, promoting negative stereotypes of Western culture, often depicted as worn down or decadent.

These paintings also conveyed themes of male dominance and the sexual objectification of women, reinforcing existing power dynamics within a Puritan Western society. Such depictions shocked... Continue reading "Orientalism in 19th-Century Art: Stereotypes and Western Perceptions" »

Filmmaking

Key Concepts

• Frame: A single image of a movie.
• Film Editing: The process by which an editor compiles shots into scenes and a film.
• Montage: Combining shots into a rapid sequence to portray a single event through multiple views (e.g., Rocky).
• Shot: An uninterrupted run of a film camera; shots are compiled into scenes, then into movies.
• Cinematography: The art of photography and camerawork in filmmaking.

Technical Details

• Movies are primarily shot at 24 frames per second (24fps).

Influential Figures

• Walt Disney: Filmmaker who built an animation legacy, starting in Kansas City. His first and last animated movies before his death in 1966 were Snow White and The Jungle Book.
• Orson Welles: Director of Citizen Kane.

Animation

• Traditional (2D) Animation:

Establishment of American Literature

The creation of secure public value for literary works was crucial. In the 1850s, popular fiction written by women, such as Mrs. Southworth, Caroline Lee Hentz, and Mary Jane Holmes, saw unprecedented sales. These bestsellers succeeded because they spoke directly to the evolving world of women and family life, reflecting new middle-class norms of domestic propriety. They also helped organize domestic leisure into a marketable commodity. Two factors shaped this era: women's writing and a middle-class domestic audience. This crystallized the readership and reading habits that would define literary consumption in late 19th-century America. The rise of mass journalism (the "penny-press") in the 1840s, which published... Continue reading "American Literary Movements: From Domesticity to Southern Renaissance" »

Egalitarian

(noun) The doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political, economic, and social equality.

Dictatorship

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution, laws, opposition, etc.).

Governors

Democracy

The political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives.

Assembly

• (noun) A group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit.
• (noun) The act of constructing something (as a piece of machinery).
• (noun) A public facility to meet for open discussion.
• (noun) A group of persons who are gathered together for a common purpose.

Matter

• (noun) A vaguely specified concern.
• (noun) Some situation or event that is thought

Vocabulary Listening True False

• 1. Up: The way 1. Tradition 1. True
• 2. Pro: Increase 2. Earning 2. False: The Indigenous are upset with Disney
• 3. Retain: Keep 3. Unfair 3. False: Deep and white people don't give a job in...
• 4. Ill: Unable 4. Were camp 4. True
• 5. Refer: Avid 5. Theme 1. There were...
• 6. Seize: Take 6. Had to lie 2. Appropriation
• 7. Cue: A hint 7. The athletes 3. Trying
• 8. Olympics were 4. Unrealistic

The Need for Native American Representation

Disney doesn't give roles to Indigenous people; for this reason, they should create an industry. Indigenous people should create organizations for their rights since Disney gives roles only to white people. The Indigenous should work with independent filmmakers due to the fact that Disney prefers... Continue reading "Disney and Native American Representation in Film" »

Art Vocabulary

• Art dealer / Comerciant d'art
• Painting / Pintura
• Renaissance / Renaixença
• Exhibition / Exposició
• Postmodernism / Postmodernisme
• Sculptor / Escultor
• Masterpiece / Obra mestre
• Prehistoric / Prehistòric
• Surrealism / Surrealisme
• Canvas / Llenç
• Frame / Marc
• Portrait / Retrat
• Easel / Cavallet
• Landscape / Paisatge
• Two-dimensional / Bidimensional
• Bronze / Bronze
• Marble / Marbre
• Background / Fons
• Center of interest / Centre d'interès
• Composition / Composició
• Foreground / Primer pla
• Mood / Disposició
• Perspective / Perspectiva
• Technique / Tècnica

Relationships

• Acquaintance / Conegut
• Extrovert / Extrovertit
• Pal / Camarada
• Ally / Aliat
• Follower / Seguidor
• Participant / Participant
• Bystander / Espectador
• Introvert / Introvertit
• Party Animal / Juerguista
• Classmate /

Postmodernism in Literature

Defining Postmodernism

Postmodernism is widely discussed in contemporary culture. Umberto Eco suggests that it represents an acceptance of the new and striking elements of modern society. Postmodernism is intricately linked to modernism, as outlined below:

• It can be seen as a continuation or expansion of modernist techniques.
• It also represents a break from modernism, rejecting the elitism often associated with it.
• Postmodern elements can be identified in earlier texts, suggesting that postmodernism offers a new way of rereading history and literature.

Brian McHale, in his book Postmodernist Fiction (1987, page 5), states: "postmodernism follows from modernism, in some sense, more than it follows after modernism."

Key Features

Characteristics of Formal Dialogue

• The subject to be treated is previously known.
• The interventions are performed following a particular order.
• Special care is taken with language: precise vocabulary, elaborate syntax, use of respectful formulas (you, sorry, etc.)

Formal Dialogue Structure

• Opening: Beginning the dialogue with a salutation and the presentation of the theme.
• Development: The core of the conversation.
• Farewell: End of the dialogue. Formulas are used for thanks and goodbye.

The Interview

• Introduction: We present the interviewee: name, profession, interest in the interview, etc.
• Development: The interviewer asks direct and clear questions. Respondent answers. From the first response, write one P or R.
• Closing: The interview ends with a closing

The Renaissance: Birth of the Modern World

The late 15th and early 16th centuries witnessed the birth of the modern world. This transformation resulted from various events, primarily geographical, such as the discovery of America, and ideological phenomena. These included overcoming the medieval worldview, which centered on religion, and the emergence of a new mentality.

The term "Renaissance" began to be used in the 19th century by J. Michelet and Burkhardt, who, in 1860, published The Culture of the Renaissance in Italy. The word "Renaissance" has a controversial significance concerning the Middle Ages. Its main feature is secularization: while medieval man was concerned with religion, Renaissance man became emancipated and the center of thought.... Continue reading "Renaissance: Birth of the Modern State" »

Noucentisme: A Classicist Movement in Catalan Literature

Noucentisme was a Catalan cultural and political movement that emerged in the early 20th century. It encompassed various aspects, including language, culture, and education. As a classicist movement, Noucentisme emphasized a return to order, harmony, and balance, reflecting the broader European rationalist trends of the time. Politically, Noucentisme was closely associated with the Regionalist League, led by Enric Prat de la Riba. This party represented the Catalan nationalist aspirations of the conservative bourgeoisie.

Key Characteristics of Noucentisme

• Mediterranean spirit
• Christianity
• Formal artificiality
• Measurement and balance
• Wisdom and clarity
• Precision and lightness
• Urban civilization