Research Critical Analysis Paper

The theme of “Self And Other,” which has been derived throughout the course of study in both classes (Composition of Individual & Society FIQWS and FIQWS Self And Other 10008 HA14), can be interpreted indifferent ways. However all the different interpretations about the theme still include the relationship with one another or the relationship between one and the society. With several texts and arts (Chloe Bass’ “wayfinding,” “Citizen” by Claudia Rankine, “Signs Preceding the End of the World,” by Yuri Herrera. ) we’ve covered in class, the theme or the idea of  “Self And Other” became comprehensive/ understanding. My essay will focus on how the authors of all the various texts in this essay used the theme of “Self And Other” to convey their ideas and/or stories. This essay will also include how other writers think about the specific piece of work (eg. a scholarly reviewed.)

 

Chloe Bass’ “wayfinding”, an art exhibition at St. NIcholas park, which displays specific texts and images throughout the entire park with a purpose of allowing “visitors to explore the park spurred by these gentle sculptural interventions.” She displays these signs also to allow the public to have a “moment of private reflection in public space” These signs plus her motive, suggests that interaction can be personal and general. Which also exhort that for an interaction to be successful, there should be a form of negotiation. Negotiation of interaction are more often than not emphasised in our society. With this reason she included 3 questions in the park (“How much of care is patients,” “How much of love is attention,” and “How much of life is coping.” She poses these questions to allow the public to come to a conclusion on how much of something can lead to the other. Example is; if one is in a relationship, there are requirement or needs that needs to be accomplished in order for there to be a great and stable relationship. Which in her point of view, she is initiating these statements and questions to the public to start a conversation to oneself or general on what are acceptable or to what extent is something defined as acceptable in the society. In hoping that there will be a conclusion or a general expectation of the norms in society. The idea of Negotiation of interaction also connects to the theme of “Self and Other” because the definition of Negotiation of Interaction says “In fact, negotiation can be defined as a process whereby two or more parties who hold or believe they hold incompatible goals engage in a give-and-take interaction to reach a mutually acceptable solution.”which means for there to be an interaction or negotiation, there has to be at least a group of people involved. 

 

All the signs that are installed at the parks has specific meanings and open ended questions/ statement that allows anyone to respond to it in any way. As part of her motive to install these sings, she was concerned about the relationship between man and/or the society. She poses a statement that says “There are times when I have agreed with you only in order to go to sleep,” which suggests that there are sometimes a weak relationship between people to the point that no one wants to engage in others conversation anymore, mainly because it is boring or they do not comply with others ideas. Which is also similar to another signs that reads “There are times when I have agreed with you only in order to cast relief. ” both statements suggests that sometimes others just pretend to concede with whatever is going on, for their personal needs. However, it is clear that through the lense of the theme “Self and Other” we are able to conclude that there are moments where we should consider one’s present mood and not judge them according to what they might be doing. Which is mainly because they might be going through a situation or doing something else causing them to act like that at the moment. Moreover, there should be no “days you call out to the world and all that echoes back is your own emptiness” 

 

“Citizen” by Claudia Rankine is a series of stories/poetry that explains thoroughly racism encounters/micro aggressions in different ways. It comprises of various moments where Rankine herself encountered racism/microaggression. She also included famous people and how they also encountered racism/microaggression. This book is great in terms of raising awareness about microaggressions that goes on in our society, which deprive people from being who they want to be. The process of her including her racial encounters in the society, plus other’s, explains further the theme of “Self and Other” and how it goes on in our communities. In Claudia’s perspective the theme of Self And Other can be described as how one treats the other ( either in a good way of bad way.) Most of the time, if claudia mention the relationship between herself and others (society), she think about racism and how it has affected our society. In her book “Citizen: An American Lyric,” she describes how she was treated unfairly due to her racial background and skin color. She also talked about how other famous people go through the same or sometimes worse as her. In “Black Lives/White Backgrounds: Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric and Critical Race Theory,” by Bella Adams, Bella explains the disconnection between man the was mentioned in Rankine’s Book. She said “Citizen exposes how whiteness is associated with ‘great writers’ ([19], 10), ‘successful artist’ ([19], 34), patient, professional, consumer and ultimately law-abiding, American citizen, while blackness is assumed pathological and criminal – some notable occasions in US history aside. For instance, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 permitted blacks ‘personhood.” which explained that instead of there being a mutual connection between people, there are all sorts of decrimination and “racist stereotyping.” She explains that through the lense of Rankines text, it can be concluded that societies are been separated in terms of one’s racial background. 

 

Rankine begins and ends this book with actual incident of her experiencing a sort or racial discrimination. In chapter one of Rankine’s text, she tells a story of a young girl (which is her) experiencing racism but does not know exactly what was going on “You assume she thinks she is thanking you for letting her cheat and feels better cheating from an almost white person.”Where in the end she tells a different incident of her experiencing racism, but this time in her adulthood. “A woman pulled in and started to park her car facing mine. Our eyes met and what passed passed as quickly as the look away. She backed up and parked on the other side of the lot.” Rankine described in several interviews that her book was not only show display what is going on in our societies but for us “to recognize the pain comes from White Supremacists terrorist behavior” and to also “recognise our culpability in a system of injustice.” She connects all the incidents that happened to her and other people that mentioned in her to the theme of “Self And Other”. In  chapter II of this same book, Rankine talks about how black celebrities/ artist releases their anger when they face a challenge. With this, Rankine starts with a picture of a famous YouTuber (Hennessy Youngman) in one of his YouTube videos, describing “how to become a successful Black Artist,” which he focuses on how black artists should deal with Anger. This story transitions to the story of Serena Williams in the 2004 US Open. Rankine described the story of Serena Williams in the 2004 US open as it is one of the most uncomfortable days of Serena’s life as a tennis player. She explained how certain calls that was made against her were international and were made because of her race or color. Serena williams knew what was going on but paid no mind to it and continued with the game. Later in her career, she finally decided to put at end to her silence by raging and repeatedly saying “no, no, no”. She did this in the 2009 women’s US Open final, which brought attention to all viewers about what she’d been through on the court until that moment. Rankine adds a quote from Zora Neale Hurston that suggest a reason why Serena faced all these problems. “I feel most colored when I am thrown against a sharp white background.” This quote, in Rankine’s point of view elaborates on how tennis has a history on white people, but Serena who is “black”  is booming even besides her race.  

 

              That the day to day discrimination that happens to people all over the world is minimizing the relationship between one’s self and others or the relationship between one their communities. The theme of self and Other in Literature explains the idea that one should consider the moment or behavior of the other and must not judge them for any reason. As expressed in the book, microaggression which occurs as a result of hate, exist in our society and is affecting the relationship between one and the other. Which the theme of self and other in literature goes against racism, microaggression or any form in behavior that the disturbes other people in the society. If citizens or active members of our society begins to disregard the usage of certain phrases like “Oh my God, she’s gone crazy,” or actions like “ A woman pulled in and started to park her car facing mine. Our eyes met and what passed passed as quickly as the look away. She backed up and parked on the other side of the lot, ” there would be a huge connection between people which will bring about success in the society.

 

The theme of  “Self And Other” can also be derived from Yuri Herrera’s novel “Signs Preceding the End of the World,” which is about A young girl (Makina) who has to send a message to his brother across the border. In the book readers are introduced that Makina was in charge of her town telephone. Meaning that she was one of the only people in that town that could not only understand other tongues, but can also speak and interpret it. With the ability that she has, she was sent to deliver a message to his brother in a different place. On her way, she went through different towns and in some way was able to discover the difference between hwee she lived and where she found herself. She realised that her old town has had them believe that what they are doing in the town was the same way others was acting. In chapter 5 where she was struggling with how the interpretation of her language was different from how others did, a conclusion can be drawn that the theme of “Self and Other” is  taking place. Being able to interpret others language help oneself to be able to understand other points of view despite them speaking in a different tongue. Which can connect to one of Chloe Bass’ exhibitions that reads “How much of love attention?” Meaning that how much time would it take for one to carefully understand other points of view without hesitance. Through that we can also connect that to the central theme of “Self and Other” 

 

With generalization and the style of writing from the authors, we can conclude that all these three pieces of literature are interconnected through the main theme of “Self And Other,” The style of writing that Claudia Rankine chose to write her text was extraordinary  (choosing to write in both first and third person perspective.). It generally allows the audience or reader to insert themselves in the story and feel the same way the characters felt when they encountered all the discrimination. Chloe Bass choosing the St. Nicholas park as the place to showcase her arts shows that she is deeply concerned about the relationship between mankind. Therefore the only way she can get her message across is to display her art in a public park, where people pass by all the time, go to take a rest, and even students from the City College Of NewYork walk by. Lastly, Yuri Herrera told her story in a wonderful way, by including her main character will be able to speak and understand different tongues. Making her story international and not only focusing on one language. 

 

Altogether the theme of  “Self And Other” help us to connect puzzles of the world together. Being able to put an end to racial discriminatin and some societal norms would come from how we interact or work with one another. Not only does “Self And Other,”want us to interact with one another, but it also wants us to put others before us. 

 

Citation

Claudia Rankine “Citizen; an American Lyric ” (October 7, 2014)”

Yuri Herrera “Signs Preceding the End of the World,” Novel