Dickens Relevant in Our Education System

“Now, what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are wanted in life.” ~Thoma Grandgrind (p. 7).

Hold up, does this guy talking about facts remind you of something? If it doesn’t let us give you a good feminist critique:

When he mentions facts it is almost like the STEM (Science, technology, engeneering, mathematics)/Arts dichotomy. If this doesn’t ring a bell think of how many research grants are given to the math and sciences compared to WSU closing its Theater/Dance department 3 years ago. Currently, much funding is being taken out of our schools from the music, theater, and dance departments. This happens at the k-12 levels and even in higher education. What could be the outcome of cutting the arts? There is a lot of research that shows that the arts aid students in critical thinking. They are also a good creative outlet.

Let’s take this critique to another level, is it coincidental that STEM careers are ruled by men? The implications of the STEM/Arts dichotomy extend to gender and race relations. As English majors we understand how creative writing is critical to our field. We also make emphasis on the importance of critical thinking. So the utilitarian elitist critique Dickens’ makes parallels to the issues that we find in our education system.

Another important factor of facts is that there are race relations in them. Think of how little writers of color we study in our English courses. People of color and their knowledge have not been recognized by many academics. History books and even science have posed people of color as lesser to white people. Back in the 18^th and 19^th century, there were many taxonomists who did research on brain sizes and falsely accused people of color to have smaller brains; thus, they posed people of color as inferior to white people. History books also lack diversity in the people that they study; an intersection to think about is queer people. LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) history is rarely found in history books.

Without critical thinking and creativity, which occurs in the arts, we ignore the power relations that occur in facts. Facts are biased through the heteronormative patriarchal AND white supremacist ideologies of our country. Thus, the utilitarian education critique that Dickens’ makes acts as a warning to readers. The arguments we make are grounded on feminist theory and we hope that you open your mind to these ideas. We also hope that you begin to think of how facts are presented in your college courses.

Twinsies

This weeks readings, by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” were both representations of the concept of Gothic writing that we went over in class. However, “The Fall of the House of Usher” seemed to have more detail to bring to light in the sense of Gothic writing. In class we discussed how gothic writing is associated with enclosed man-made structures that fall into decay—which hits the nail on the head with this story. Throughout the passage, readers get a sense of constriction, as if the narrator is stuck inside this house and confined by the walls to never leave, not until the house falls to pieces. That in itself almost sheds light on the family who lived there: all direct decedents from one another, implying incest. The family must not have ever left the house. This could also be why the two siblings, who are the only Usher’s left, are so ill. Mentally ill, and physically ill. I cannot imagine what living inside one house for my entire life would be like—I would go nuts, too! Poe uses imagery to describe the house, and all the gloom surrounding it. The very first sentence sets the scene for an ominous and haunting setting: “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within the view of the melancholy House of Usher” (25). The narrator of this story ends up being the hero because he is able to ensure the end of doubling that is carried out throughout the story. The twins, who seem to double each other, both pass away. The gloomy house that overlooks its reflection in the water collapses, ending the doubling of the house. While researching this story written by Edgar Allan Poe, I found that some readers thought the sister did not even exist in the house. They argue that Madeline was part of Roderick’s imagination. In my own opinion, I see that Madeline and Roderick were both living in the house together. I also see the connection they share as twins, whereas they complete a part of each other. Madeline was not dead when she was buried, which might signify that Roderick no longer wanted that part of him to be alive. On the other hand, Madeline returns and instead of rejoicing in the fact that she made it out of the tomb, she kills Roderick. Which to me, was symbolic of their relationship as twins. The two came into this world together, and they were to leave the world together as well.

Oh Nicki...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AFIO6gVwiY

"The appearance of Justine was calm. She was dressed in mourning; and her countenance, always engaging, was rendered, by the solemnity of her feelings, exquisitely beautiful" (p. 61). This description of one of the female characters in the novel "Frankenstein" is NOT like the portrayal of the bride of Blackenstein that Nicki Minaj plays in Saturday night life. This week some of the student reports touched on the ways in which pop culture is ridiculous with its portrayal of Frankenstein. We can see this in the way that the SNL clip commodifies the bodies of Black women and uses the story of Frankenstein to make racism look humorous. Mary Shelley's writing and characters are deeper than Nicki Minaj shaking her booty. We must be aware of how stories are wrongly used by pop culture; and in this case, the story of Frankenstein had racist and sexist purposes.

To further analyze this we should think about the term “Definitional Anachromism.” This term explains how we impose temporary classification systems unto the past (Ex. Spartans are gay even though there wasn’t a hetero/homo binary in that time period). Currently we view the monster as something that we fear and that doesn’t communicate (pop culture ideology). After reading the novel we are more sympathetic towards the monster and know that the monster talks. Definitional Anachromism shows us that the current classification of the monster is detrimental with the racialization found in the SNL clip. There is a deeper explanation for SNL using people of color to represent the monster and his bride. We connect the monster with primitive qualities, not intellectual, and dangerous; in doing so, we also connect people of color with these qualities. So people who have never read Frankenstein will accept the racist ideologies that the SNL clip is trying to communicate. Viewers will have a wrong understanding of Frankenstein and without they will also accept racist rhetoric without realizing it. Having the wrong understanding of the past allows for shows like SNL to control the past and it becomes very problematic. While this blog post strays from literary analysis of the novel, we must recognize how history and literature are portrayed by pop culture to push us to be critical of what pop culture feeds us.

And don't even get me started on the way that Nicki's body parts and

how it is the only value she is given, but that’s a rant for another day.

Fierce warning!!!

Viewers: you are recommended to prepare yourself for the blog realness that you are about to experience.

Tara Nolan and Ruben Zecena, the homies from English 372, will create a blog that is both fierce and smart smart. We plan to use feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory, and gossip girl theory to critically analyze our texts. The girl with the green scarf doesn't even stand a chance. So sit back, put down that online shopping (I see you), and be prepared to be dazzled!! *Snaps