A2 COMMS & CULTURE - BRILLIANT TV PROG FOR OBJECTS OF DESIRE

There is a new series which has just started on the BBC called Secrets of the Superbrands. This week's episode explored the role of technology in making us want to buy stuff - with specific focus on Apple. Definitely a MUST WATCH - click here for the link which will take you straight to Realplayer.

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - OBJECTS OF DESIRE

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - revising Objects of Desire

One of the most relevant processes involved in the construction of 'objects of desire' is the role of advertising. I've found a good article which analyses the way that adverts deliver ideologies as a means of constructing products as desireable. Reading this will also be a good way to revise semiotics, which you haven't explicitly studied since last year. Click here to read the article... 

The Pardoner's Tale - audio version in Middle English

Rather than re-reading The Pardoner's Tale - or perhaps as well as - listen to it being read! The whole of TPT is now up on Moodle (under Learning Stuff) for you to download and listen to. It's been divided into 10 tracks -  & it's the perfect way to start revising the text. Check it out here...

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - are the world's problems down to colonialism?

There's an interesting article on the BBC News website about the extent to which Britain's colonial rule has contributed to the problems being suffered around the world now - two different viewpoints are offered, one defending the legacy of colonialism, one challenging that viewpoint. Click here to read it.

A2 LITERATURE - MODERN VERSION OF OTHELLO FOR YOU TO WATCH

As we move towards the end of the play in class, why not watch this modern version of Othello, made for TV a few years ago, which updates the original drama & sets it in the police force. Any alternative interpretations of the play which you think are interesting can be mentioned in your answer in the exam - click here to watch Part 1. I think it's a pretty good version...

P.S. Blanca - I can't find the address for your blog; can you add it as a comment to this?

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - SOUND EFFECTS FOR THE PODCAST

Thanks to Juan, who has found this site which offers lots of free sound effects you might want to use in your podcast: click here. Definitely worth checking out...

A2 LITERATURE: NORMAN'S CLASS

Remember that your deadline for the first draft is next Thursday (17th March) - please bring your essay to the lesson and we will collect them in.

In the meantime, bearing in mind that you need to acknowledge and use critical viewpoints within your essay (A03), here are some links that might help:

Review of The Go Between - plus quotes from other reviews
Review of movie version of TGB - New York Times
Book review of TGB - New York Books
Blog entry on TGB
Interview with Betjeman
Audio clips - Betjeman
Material on Betjeman from The Guardian
Betjeman gets a mention in The Office
Death of a Salesman - some ideas
Review of Death of a Salesman

There are some notes on DOS & TGB coming your way too.The hardest part of writing this essay is structuring it; remember that your comparison needs to be pretty sustained. It's probably a good idea to 'block' the essay into 4 or 5 sections, making sure that each section includes some links between the 3 texts - and make sure that your opening and ending are fully comparative.

A2 LITERATURE - OTHELLO 3.3 - THE HANDKERCHIEF

We read and talked about this part of the play last lesson. Watch this version of the scene, where Iago is played by Ian McKellen:




and compare it with this one, where Iago is played by Kenneth Branagh:

AS COMMS & CULTURE: converting Youtube clips for MovieMaker

If you want to include video clips from Youtube as part of your MovieMaker presentation, you will need to convert them first. Here's an easy way to do it which doesn't involve downloading any software. Click on this to visit clipconverter. All you need to do is paste the url address of the clip you want to convert into the space provided. Click continue & then select the format you want to convert to - choose .avi or .wmv to convert to a format that works with MovieMaker - and then click start. Your clip will be converted and then you can then download it onto your memory stick.

But be careful: keep your clips short and only include them if they add something to your presentation. You can edit video clips down within Moviemaker once you have imported them.

(Thank you Alex!)

AS LITERATURE REUNITED

Just a reminder that we are meeting back as a class on my side of the course this Thursday (17th). Please make sure that you bring your Frost booklets and the work you have been set on Gathering Leaves/Leaf treader. I will also remind you on Thursday of some of the key things to remember when sorting out your final  piece of coursework.

A2 LIT - are you free tomorrow night?!

Thanks to Lucy for pointing out that Dr Faustus is on at Ealing Theatre - she says it's good - and for discovering that there is a discussion and Q&A with the director & cast tomorrow night at the end of the performance. If you are free and Ealing is accessible then this looks like a good opportunity for you...
PS Please remember that you need to have read the next bit of Othello in 2.1 (up to where Othello arrives on Cyprus).

A2 COMMS - FINAL LINKS

Kevin - one for you here - click - with some good quotes in ethnicity & Eminem
Chantelle - article published today on airbrushing - click here
Rianna - article published today about JayZ/Glastonbury/Beyonce/Gallagher - click here
Jack - and maybe Daniel - this one's for you - click here
Harmoni - this one's for you - click here
Sylvie - good comment on CC you can use in this article - click here
Quirez & Harry - one for you from Charlie Brooker - click here
Steph - one for you - click here
Masi - click here and here

EXAM DATES 2011

Here are the exam dates for this summer:

AS Comms & Culture: 20 May at 9.30am
A2 Comms & Culture: 22 June at 2.00pm
AS Literature: 23 May at 9.30am
A2 Literature: 16 June at 9.30am

Put them in your diaries/phones!

A2 LITERATURE - ARISTOTLE'S POETICS

We have been talking about Aristotle's Poetics recently in class - to find out much more, click here... 

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - LINKS FOR 'HOLIDAY'

Harmoni - for an article on holidays & social class, click here.
Jack & Daniel - for articles on British behaviour abroad, click here, here,  here , here and here. For the latest British Behaviour Abroad Report, click here.

AS Comms & Culture - counterculture

Here's an interesting article about counterculture (culture which actively goes against dominant, mainstream culture) in the 1960s  - click here to read it. This could prove to be a useful case-study for the exam...

A2 COMMUNICATION & CULTURE - and some more links

Jeffrey & Masi - for articles on Michael Jackson (especially the narrative of his death), click here , here and here.
Harry & Quirez click here for an academic essay on the contemporay desire for fame.
For all of you looking at Beauty/Ugliness in different ways, click here for an academic essay reflecting on beauty in a globalised society - contains some interesting facts as well as ideas.
Doyin, you might find this interesting - it's an article on the representation of black people in advertising. Plus this, which examines the representation of race in magazines.
Carla, click here for an article on magazines like Heat & women's bodies.

AS LITERATURE - ROBERT FROST / COURSEWORK 1-1s

Once we have discussed some of Frost's poems in class, you may want to start reading what other critics have commented about his poetry. The best site I have found is this one - click here. But remember this is no substitute for you exploring the poems on your own and creating your own interpretations...

Remember, no lesson on Thursday 3rd Feb & coursework 1-1s start on Friday 4th Feb for George, Julia, Libby & Dan.

A2 LITERATURE - STARTING OTHELLO (& hwk)

When Shakespeare was writing Othello, it's hard to imagine that he wasn't influenced by the visit to London of a delegation from Barbary in 1600/01, led by the Barbarian ambassador Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud. Apparently their dress and customs caused quite a stir in London at the time. Below is the official portrait of the ambassador from that visit - is this what Shakespeare imagined when he was creating his protagonist?

Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud ben Mohammed Anoun,
Moorish Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth (1600-1)

This week's homework: listen to this programme about Machiavelli - click here to listen...

PS If you also want to brush up on your knowledge of Shakespeare the man, click here...

AS COMMS & CULTURE - HIGH & POPULAR CULTURE

We have been talking about how different examples of culture are valued differently when exploring the high culture/popular culture debate. To read an article about how ideas about culture have changed over time, then click here. To take a culture test measuring how 'dumbed down' you are, click here.

Last lesson we were using Banksy as an example of how culture is valued differently by different people. This is one of my favourites:

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - GOOD LINKS FOR COURSEWORK

Here are some more good links which may help with the coursework. If you have chosen CELEBRITY you should click here to read a interesting article about when we choose to forgive celebrities (particular focus = Cheryl Cole, so perfect for you, Sylvie) - it also includes some decent comment on historical notions of celebrity as well as why contemporary society is obsessed with them. Click here for an article on Rihanna being made Barbados Ambassador for Culture and Youth. For an article on Eminem, which 'translates' his lyrics for white people, click here and to read about white people in rap, click here (Kevin). To read about why we all love a juicy gossip about celebrities, click here where an ex editor of Heat magazine gives an insight. If your case study is on Nicki Minaj then click here (Shelley, Shanice) and here for a postcolonial analysis of her.

If you looking at either Kim Kardashian and/or women and curves and/or beauty and ethnicity, then click here. If you are looking at men's bodies and advertising, then click here (Stephanie and perhaps Kamron).

A2 LITERATURE - Kanye West & Dr Faustus...

Third time lucky: is Kanye West's Can't Tell Me Nothing a modern interpretation of the Faust legend? Decide for yourself ...

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - CELEBRITY

Here's a link to the Open University module on celebrities and how they are mediated through the media. Definitely worth a read if you are looking at mediating celebrity or narrative trajectory...

AS LITERATURE - 1-1s for coursework planning

Hello, remember that the next 3 lessons are going to be a bit different to enable me to talk to you all individually about how you are going to map out the coursework essay. You only need to come to one of the next 3 lessons (see below) and should use the time (& extra!) represented by the lessons you are excused from to work on your draft. Please feel free to email me (at cdignum@rutc.ac.uk) any work in progress you have in the meantime for me to look at - please put 'Lit planning' in the subject box so I know to especially look out for it. Plus you can also come and see me at lunchtime too if you want to talk - especially if you have a later slot. So, in case you have forgotten, this is when you need to come:

Thursday 13th Jan:
Alice W
Chris
Priya
Libby
Natalie
Candace
Melissa
Kamala

Monday 17th Jan:
George
Mumgo
Xavier
Tianna
Alice L
Naomi
Daniel

Thursday 20th Jan:
Molly
Shaneeka
Verity
Richard
Julia
Bliss
Alessia

Please bring both of your texts, your headphones & the work you have done so far. We will all meet again on Monday 24th January.

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - CW LINKS

Here are some more links that some of you should find useful:

CELEBRITY:
Role-models: someone to look up to
I want to be famous
TV reality talent shows
Celebrity persona/narrative - Lady Gaga & Michael Jackson
A new age of celebrity worship
Celebrity magazines and body image
Jay Z decoded
Jay Z - includes Glastonbury
Jay Z interview

BODY MODIFICATION:
How the tattoo went high street
Tattoos and women
Thin is in: in search of the perfect male body
Muscle Mania
Less airbrushing - more reality
Olay advert banned for airbrushing
Ban airbrushing ...
The language of transgender
Beauty industry fails minority ethnic women
Skin bleaching

HOLIDAY:
Club 18-30 - from sleeze to sophistication
Club 18-30 thrives on bad reputation
Why the British love Corfu
I slept with 50 girls in my first season
Sun, sea, sand ... and innuendo
Greece arrests 5 holiday reps

A2 COMMS & CULTURE - THE COURSEWORK

Happy New Year - I hope that you had a good holiday!
You should by now have chosen one of the three broad areas (Holiday, Body Modification & Celebrity), then one of the three titles & then one of the bullet points out of which to create your question. This week the focus is on RESEARCH. Here are some starters that might help:
CELEBRITY: listen to this spoof on the modern obsession with being famous, which comes in the form of a 15 minute musical. Before you listen to it by clicking here, make sure that you know the story of Sweeney Todd first.The programme is called Ramsey Todd. The clip will only be available for a week as it's on iplayer.
BODY MODIFICATION (Beauty/Perfection): this article from The Independent Newspaper on Ugly Betty analyses the appeal of the drama series, examining the cultural values it delivers. To find out more about the history of ideas about what beauty is, then click here (45 mins).
HOLIDAY (Carnival!): You can find out about the history of Notting Hill carnival by clicking here and listening to a podcast about its heritage and relationship with cultural identity. The Independent Newpaper describes the carnival as a 'triumph of multiculuralism' in this article; do you agree?

Once I get a feel for what you are all doing, I'll post more links here which will hopefully help you. Please remember that you need to record the secondary sources you have used as you will need to include them in footnotes & in your bibliography.

AS LITERATURE - What the critics say about 'Beasts of no Nation'

Welcome back & Happy New Year! Once your coursework for Norman is handed in tomorrow (Tues 4th), it will be time to start preparing for your coursework for me. A few entries back, I posted some good links to secondary reading on BRH - here are some links to some reviews of Beasts... which you should read. Remember that how well you use, challenge and comment on other interpretations of your texts will go some way to determining the grade you will get for this piece. So you might want to pull some useful quotes out of some of these reviews for use in your essay...

Boston Globe
Entertainment Weekly
New York Times (1)
The New York Times (2)
The Guardian
The Independent
The Observer (scroll down!)
San Francisco Chronicle

Remember to keep a note of critics' names & website addresses.

A2 LIT - happy new year, some reminders, an apology & some extension work...

Happy New Year everyone, I hope you had a good break.
Now, firstly, three reminders:
1) You have an essay due by the end of this Friday (set on the Thursday before we broke up) - I suggested you read the A grade essay from last year first
2) I also asked you to be up-to-date on your Faustus reading; you should have read Acts 1-4, plus read the notes on 1-4 handed out before Xmas
3) Our lessons are swapping around now. Chris will be seeing you on Tuesdays and Fridays, I will be seeing you on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Next, an apology: we won't be meeting this Wednesday (5th Jan) because I am on a trip (organised before we swapped our lessons around - sorry!). Please can you use this lesson time to make sure 1 & 2 (above) are sorted - thank you. I will see you on Thursday afternoon.

Finally - some extension work. Find out more about the legend of Faust by clicking here (45 mins programme).