English 212

What in your opinion is the center or most important aspect of this semester's work in "Writing About Visual Culture"?

God has blessed us with many gifts. One of the greatest gifts that majority of us posses is the gift of sight. With sight, we are able to appreciate the world around us; a world that is full of color, wonder, and majestic beauty. Another important gift is expression. The ability to express ourselves allows us to communicate in many ways; we can talk, use body movement, write, create art...the list is endless. The need to express is built into all of us, but the way we express is unique.

Expressions can be read many different ways. A picture painted by one person could mean something different to the audience. Our ideology, experiences, and education play a significant role in how we view and appreciate various texts. As our culture globalizes due to technology, we are exposed to more and more visual media. We see hundreds of different images every day, and I will propose that these images add to our “experience and education”, thus altering our ideology. It is irrefutable that media has an effect on us in one way or another, even if it simply educates us. An example of how media may affect someone would be a young girl who was constantly exposed to pictures of skinny women that are idolized. She begins to see herself with different glasses, and starts to believe that she needs to look that way in order to be beautiful.

English 212 stressed written communication and the analysis of visual texts, including still and moving media. Though the class was difficult, it challenged me to push myself. I feel that I have developed more as a writer, but I also find that I can appreciate visual texts of all sorts in a new way. For instance, I notice more when I watch a film than just the plot and the characters. I notice things such as gestures, blocking, camera movements, and added sounds. Though this class is not a part of my field of study, I feel that I have developed and strengthened certain skills that will be valuable throughout my career.