Cultural Studies 100 : Sarah Klein's noon tutorial

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

animal farm

i found animal farm a long read. i didn't find it as interesting as many people found it and i found it very dragged out. i liked the parts in the novel that had more descriptions, like when the slaughterings occured and when the animals were injured. i found that the novel was very repetative and didn't have much that kept me intersting. overall it was a easy read but a long one because i had to keep stopping because i would lose interest. i also didnt enjoy it because i found it very unrealistic and kind of fairy tale like, with the talking animals and such. but that is just my personal preference on novels, even though it may be a negative one on this novel.

Read more!

Animal Farm

I found the book to be really easy to read, the first few chapters seemed as if the book was written for grade 4 students but then I continued to read and started understand the message that the book was saying. The book isn't really about the animals taking over a farm, its about a revoulution. I remember having to read it when I was in highschool but never really put any effort into trying to understand its background, which is obviously the Russian Revolution. I actually enjoyed reading the book more this time. I think Orwell is an interesting author, I have also read 1984, and would be interested in reading some of his other books.

Read more!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Animal Farm

When I first started reading Animal Farm, I must admit, I thought it was a little ridiculous (the whole animals-taking-over-the-farm-and-writing-commandments-on-the-wall bit) but, once I got further into it, I really started to enjoy it. Although, I agree with one of the comments made in class, that your understanding of the book depends quite a bit on your knowledge of history, I kind of thought that it could work in the opposite way as well - it gave a really good synopsis of what took place, and the repercussions of the Russian Revolution.

I completely agreed with Michael when he said that there is a huge difference between the book representing something, and reminding one of something. I thought that the book was clearly a depiction of the Russian Revolution, and although it could remind someone of a totally different situation, it could never actually be confused with representing something other than what it does - the Russian Revolution. His whole description of the "point-to-point correspondence with reality" gave me a really clear understanding of what he was talking about.

All in all, I thought it was a really good lecture (and tutorial). One of the very few times I've left lecture feeling like I understood the material! hahaha!

Katy :)

Read more!

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Animal Farm

So, i read the book and I enjoyed it. Except for the fact that it was so obviously unrealistic. Pigs cannot learn to read or write. Other than that i really liked the book. It was very well written.

Read more!

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Animal Farm

I just finished reading the novel “Animal Farm” and found it to be a very unusual but creative book. While reading the novel, I had some vivid pictures in my head…heartbreaking images. Me being an animal lover and against all animal cruelty, I had a difficult time reading it….I know, it’s just a story but some of it does ring true.

I believe the story is really about behaviour and also human nature. This could be applied to our society these days including how our Government operates ie Government has all the power and makes all the decisions whereas the rest of us, the tax payers, don’t have a vote.

Overall, it was a quick, interesting, easy read.

Read more!

Animal Farm

Well although I'm unable to say I have finished reading the book, I am able to say with confidence that I have read a good chunk. Now I dont know who said that the book takes an hour and a half to read, but sorry to say I think your wrong, hahaha. I dont consider myself a swift reader by any standard, however I know it has taken me a considerable amount of time to read half of the book; over 2 hours. Now it could be the case that I am a particularly slow reader, however I have noticed that reading the book slow has made it possible for me to pay attention to the small details, and there are quite a few. I know for myself that since reading the book in high school (which was a few years ago now) I am now able to see more detail in the book after studying what we have in class so far this year. I can picture more vivid images and the use of animals for an allegory seems less ridiculous.

Read more!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Jackals and Arabs

After reading both versions of the story Jackals and Arabs I felt that the second version was more appealing. Its translation from German to English was much clearer and easier to understand. The first one seemed like it was almost translated word for word, and used words that were over complicated and unnecessary. The second version just had a better overall flow and was much more painless to read!

Read more!

Jackals and Arabs

After re-reading the two versions of Jackals and Arabs, I discovered that the first reading was enjoyable but the second version was more logical. The sentences and words in the second version were more descriptive allowing me to get the complete, or somewhat complete, picture that the author had probably set-up for the reader to imagine.

Read more!

Jackals and Arabs

After going through both, stories in class and then reading them through again on my own, I felt that the second version of the story was easier to understand and was an easier read altogether. What I found made it easier, was the fact that less complicated words and sentences were used. I also found that in the second version, the sentences were more descriptive allowing the reader to form a more vivid image of what was going on, as opposed to the first version which I found harder to understand. Although the second version may seem less acdemic due to the use of simpler words, it was a more enjoyable read. So in saying this the second version is more logical because it would be eaiser for most people to understand.

Read more!

translation between two stories

i also found the second translation better. when we did the exercise where michael read one of the stories aloud i found that i underlined pretty much all of the story minus a few words or phrases. there were so many parts that were different yet the main idea of the story was still translated. certain things may have been switched around or re-worded to make it more difficult or easier to understand, but they were pretty much the same.

Read more!

Translations

I found that the second Jackals and Arabs translation in the kit was better. During the excersise we did in class where we read the first one while Michael read the second one out loud, I made two types of marks on my copy of the first one. One mark was used on parts where I thought the first translation was better and the other mark was used on parts where I thought the second one was better. These marks displayed the second one to be better to me. When looking back, I think that this is because, first of all, the second translation is more clear as to how some things are like "dressed in white" instead of just saying "white" when describing the Arab or use of the word "quarrel" instead of "contest". I also think that the second translation was better at describing some things such as "panting and snarling" instead of "took short and puffing breaths". Overall, I thought that the second translation was more clear and created a better "feel" for the story.

Read more!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Sign-up for Class Trip

Dear Folks,

On the main CUST 100 announcement page, http://cust100-notes.blogspot.com/, I have put up two postings, one for Wednesday and one for Thursday. Please adda comment there, as per the instructions, indicating which night you'll be attending. Thx!

MWM

Read more!