New Yorker Comparison

The illustrator of this New Yorker Cover is Barry Blitt.  Each cover he makes features a couple in a bed.  In 2008 he made a New Yorker cover symbolizing the primary elections.  Barry Blitt seems to focus a lot on politics when illustrating The New Yorker cover.  The issues that are being represented in that picture is the struggle to decide who will run as the represent for the Democratic party.   Even though the couple is sleeping together signifying they are Democrats, they still fight over answering the red phone symbolizing the leader.  According to Dissent Magazine," Titled, “I’ll Get It!” the cover shows Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in bed reaching for the same ringing red phone. In the background the hands on a grandfather clock tell us that it is three o’clock. Blitt’s cover was a spoof of Hillary Clinton’s successful “It’s 3 a.m.” ad that portrayed her as the candidate best qualified to deal with an emergency call in the middle of the night.  Blitt took as his premise that at three in the morning Clinton and Obama would be equally startled by a phone call. Both would in turn answer the call immediately, and judging by the surprised looks on their faces, neither would have an automatic answer to the problem he or she faced." -    Nicolaus Mills (online) - May 21, 2008

My New Yorker Cover

• 2 Bed Bugs
•  One bed bugs is smoking a cigarette and is awake
• The other bed bugs is sleeping next to books
• The other bed bugs has matches next to his bed
• Empire state building can be seen in the night
• Flowers are in a vase in the bottom left corner of the screen

Free write/analyze how your cover works: How is magazine/city/news/reader portrayed through this cover? How does it work as a “self-portrait”? What are its major ideas?


It seems like the illustrator of The New Yorker is portraying the fact that the cigarette problem is as drastic as the bedbug problem in New York City.  In the picture since the illustrator can't give a bedbug facial expressions, he puts the bedbug in a sulking mood portraying stress and depression.  The bedbug smoking a cigarette is up all night with nothing but matches at his side.  The other bed bug is sleeping with books at his side, making me think that the illustrator wants to compare the effect of cigarettes on your brain, to the effects of books on your brain.  The flowers in the corner of the cover are a golden brown color, just like the bedbugs.  The illustrator could be comparing the beauty of flowers to bedbugs/people since both are of the same color.  But looking deeper into the picture you notice that the filter is golden, and the book next to the bedbug is brown (Golden Brown).  The illustrator compares the two repetitively, this usually results in a deeper meaning.     

The New Yorker

• Published October 9th, 2000
• Price is $3.00
• Every lady representative is pale and wearing a sash
• All ladies eyes are wide but the New York Representative
• The New York representative is serious but the others are happy and proud
• The New York representative has makeup on and is the only lady with black hair and dark eyes
• Three of the sashes have " IA "
• York is the only visible word
• The New York lady has on bikini

In this picture the words at the end of the sashes are interesting.  Each sash is supposed to say "Georgia" "California" "New York" "Florida" but only part of the word is being shown for each one, "gia" "ornia" "york" "rida".  The only word that is completely shown is York.  Besides New York, each state has an "A" at the end of the word.  Looking further (besides New York) you notice an "IA" at the end of each state as well. 

Another thing that stands out to me is that the New York lady is the only lady there with no shirt on.  She stands out from the rest as serious, beautiful, different, greedy.... She is also wearing makeup over her left eyelid which is interesting as well.  She also has the longest eyebrows, and thickest lips (maybe since shes not smiling). 

         
4)

           The New Yorker magazine seems to be just a regular magazine, but what the illustrator creates hints to the idea of much more.  Looking at the magazine there are four women with sashes across them representing their states: "Georgia" "California" "New York" "Florida".  Each lady is more or less the same however the New York lady stands out incredibly.  In the photo she plays the role of completely doing the opposite of every other lady, she is barely opening her eyes, her mouth is closed, her eyebrows are longer, her hair is a different color, her clothing is different than the others, she has a beauty mark, and her skin is of a whiter shade than the rest.  I believe that the illustrator is trying to point out the confidence and cockiness of the New York people.  The beauty mark symbolizes her beauty and how she has been beautiful since birth.  She seems to be very serious and determined.  This could stand for New York is wear the well paying jobs are located.  Work is as serious as the money their being paid for working. 
           
            Going deeper into the picture the audience should notice certain repetition that the illustrators leaves us to pick at.  In this picture the words at the end of the sashes are interesting. Each sash is supposed to say "Georgia" "California" "New York" "Florida" but only part of the word is being shown for each one, "gia" "ornia" "york" "rida". The only word that is completely shown is York. Besides New York, each state has an "A" at the end of the word. Looking further (besides New York) you notice an "IA" at the end of each state as well.  Repetition is usually used for noticing the bigger picture.  I believe that since "York" is the only word that is visible it shows that even though the New York girl is completely different she can still be presentable, and respected to the audience.   

My Interests

Colors stand out. 

A card full of girls stands out by an astronaught placing down a flag with the letters WEALTH on it.

Keyboard is underneath with 4 black keys visible and 8 white keys visible.

A speaker is next to the keyboard.

two controllers are shown with videogames underneath.

A USB is visible for the iPod.

The girl card rests steadily in between two black keys.

A budha man sits behind a family portrait.

A telephone wire dangles off the side.

Light is coming from outside brightening what isnt covered.

This picture is formal since it is close up.

The focal point of the photo is the blue hat.

The choices that I made were making the card with girld put in front of the hat.... that is all.

The photo is framed so a little bit of everything is shown on the whole side of the wall.

Not much of everything is really shown besides everything that is relevant to people.

This helps you get a better feeling of what the photographer is trying to point out.

Two heads are shown from inbetween the trees.

Two bodies are shown in front of the bush which is in front of the trees.

The sky stretches far out in the picture heavy clouds dissolve.

Everything seems to be rising but the two students hunched over with their books.

A stair leads two a split where you make a descision on what path you choose to your next destination.

This is not a close a picture and everything should stand out together.

The focal point are the clouds all the way in the back of the picture.

Choices that were made in taking this picture were getting the clouds, path, and stairs somewhat centered behind a fence.

The buildings on the side are left out, as well as the stairs.  The body of the statues are left out.  

The statues are a huge factor in understanding the photos meaning.

The photo is framed so that it seems like a pathway.

The statues body is left out making it harder pinpointing where they really are in the picture.

    

Many clouds are visible, as well as a fence, a lampost, and a tree.  The reflection of the sun off the clouds can be seen.  This picture isn't a close up photo, it captures the sky.  The focal point of the picture are the clouds.  Choices that were made in taking this picture were getting the clouds and the fence in the picture without noticing the ground.  The ground is left out, as well as the whole fence.  The clouds are a huge factor in understanding the pictures meaning.  The photo is framed so that the clouds are shown above, and the fence is below.     

A house is shown, as well as trees, clouds, sky, and electric cables.  This picture is a close up picture but the focal point is focused on the clouds in the background.  Choices that were made in taking this picture were capturing the picture in between the box.  The meaning of this picture seems to be looking past what is closest to you.  The photo is framed so that only a portion of life is visible.      

A chainsaw bear with appears to be a joint is in a room next to cologne.  The bear has on an owl necklace, and is in front of a window, and radiator.  This picture is a close up picture, and the focal point is the chainsaw bear.  Choices that were made in taking this picture was capturing a photo of the bear.  The photo is framed so that the bear seems to be the most important part of the picture.    

RANKING DRAFT 

Out of all the pictures only one really caught my interest.  The second picture posted on my blog is my favorite picture taken so far.   I meant to capture the nice view from where I was standing, but I caught a lot more.  In the picture, two heads are popping out over the trees underneath the clouds.  In front of them are two people, one standing on his way somewhere, and the other is sitting down occupied in studies.  On both sides of the trees there is a person on opposite sides busy with their own stuff.  In the picture the trees look like a forest stretched out due to the camera angle, and the focal point of the snapshot.  All the way on the left side of the picture there are vertical black lines similar to the vertical lines right in front of me when i was taking the picture.  This was midday but no students seemed to be out.  I chose this picture because I feel like it represents me to the fullest degree.  The dull clouds fits my dull personality at times, but of course clouds can clear up...  The two statues represented power, and strength something I believe that one must obtain to be successful as a human being.  The students in my picture all stand for the average person learning, and trying to strive off school.  But the clouds mean more to me then just clouds, they represent high hopes and goals of all the college kids on campus.  The vertical lines in the picture on the left side on the building represented unity and relate to the vertical lines in front of me taking the picture.  I took the picture with very little people shown because college is a time of freedom and each person has their own individual space to go where ever they please.

Incredible Poetry Comparison

After reading the two poems Bath and In A Breath by Carl Sandburg, I have realized the similarities and interests that are being constantly shown.  Sandburg seems to push more towards intense descriptions with his creative imagination.  In the first poem Sandburg writes as a spectator on the life around him.  In the second poem Sandburg focuses more on the feelings of an individual and deeply expresses his feelings.  These poems are fascinating after realizing the over analyzed true meaning the author is trying to get through to the reader.  

            In In A Breath Sanburg starts off the poem with a word in all caps “HIGH”.  This is uncommon…. But not for Sandburg, he also starts Bath with “MAN” in all caps.  I believe Sandburg is pointing out the poems point of view.  In A Breath is taken place in Chicago (“Michigan Avenue”).  Sandburg vividly describes the sounds, people, view, all from a HIGH point of view looking down upon Chicago.  Here’s an example of Sandburg’s unique point of view,” Outside in the street is the murmur and singing of life, in the sun--horses, motors, women trapsing along, in flimsy clothes, play of sun-fire in their blood.” These descriptions lead me to my next findings on the unique similarities between the two poems. 

            The second poem, as I pointed out in the first poem, starts with “MAN” in all caps.  This is the point of view of the poem.  Sandburg puts you in the “MANs” shoes, his thoughts, visualizations, are clearly described.  However, I believe Sandburg failed to write down what this “MAN” was really experiencing.  I believe that the “MAN” in the poem was on some type of psychedelic drug leading him to see things before the concert as unattractive (bad trip).  For example, “A man saw the whole world as a grinning skull and cross-bones. The rose flesh of life shriveled from all faces. Nothing counts. Everything is a fake. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes and then an old darkness and a useless silence. So he saw it all.” When you are hallucinating your feelings resemble what you see.  But, when he reached the concert the beautiful music enlightened him and his appreciation for music (good trip).  For example, “Then he went to a Mischa Elman concert.  Two hours waves of sound beat on his eardrums. Music washed something or other inside him. Music broke down and rebuilt something or other in his head and heart. He joined in five encores for the young Russian Jew with the fiddle. When he got outside his heels hit the sidewalk a new way. He was the same man in the same world as before. Only there was a singing fire and a climb of roses everlastingly over the world he looked on.”  The effects of psychedelic drugs with the combination of music usually make you over analyze the musical talent within the song.  It’s like appreciating music in a different perspective and keener sense of listening skills.

            In conclusion, Sandburg focuses on creatively describing poems in unique perspectives that are labeled in capitalizations.  Understanding the poem takes time, focus, and of course an opinion.  Sandburg’s imagination soars past all my expectations of poetry with symbolism through great descriptions.  I recommend Carl Sandburg’s poetry to all readers.         

Bath - Carl Sandburg

Man is all capitalized.  Could be an error with this man, and needs help fixing.   

Words that are repeated:

• Dust x2
• Ashes x2
• Music x2

My Interpretation:  The author is describing a man who was dull and upset about the way he lived.  He was invited to a concert, and the music made him appreciate life as much as he appreciated the music.  Leading back to the title, I'm guessing "Bath" stood for the completely changed new MAN. 

SO WHAT ?

My completely honest opinion about this poem.  I believe that the MAN in the poem was on some type of psychadelic drug leading him to see things before the concert as unnattractive (bad trip) GIVE EXAMPLES OF BAD TRIP AND GOOD TRIP.  But when he reached the concert the beautiful music enlightened him, and his apprecitation for music.  Sending him out into the world as a changed human being by going through a life changing experience.

In A Breath - Carl Sandburg

Starts off poem with all capital letters HIGH.  Could stand for a deeper meaning.
The setting the author is describing is located on Michigan Avenue.

Words that were repeated:

• shark x2
• motors x2
• women trapsing along in flimsy clothes play of sun fire x2

My Interpretation: I believe the author is describing all the little details of normal day around Michicagan Avenue.  Kids are playing, fishers are fishing, women are tanning. 

Brooklyn Heights

What I've noticed about this poem:

18 Lines

Doesn't finish poem with a period

Repeats the most important thing to him
Forty, blonde, how far we've come, light, reminisce, reminiscing, filter, filters, Brooklyn Heights,
      .
 
The past tense and present tense are used a lot in the passage.

The lines get bigger and smaller simulteanously as the poem goes on.

The number of words in each line are repetitive at times.

Puts you in a modern generation due to fortys in Brooklyn Heights.

YourSpace.

From looking at this image of a Honda Pilot ad, ten things are very noticeable...

• The space in between the car and the title "Your space". 
• The car takes up almost half of the page. 
• Compared to the car, the title "Your Space" is about the same size.
• "YourSpace" is spelled as one word with a period at the end.
• You can only see the left side of the car.
• 8 seats for passengers.
• Many accessories within the car that are similar to a house accessories. 
• The picture is black and white.
• Two capitalizations in the one word title.
• You can fit three of those same three cars in that one page.
• Referring a car to space.

I'm going to over analyze each bullet in order:

• The space in between the car and the title "YourSpace."indicates an empty page with a lot of room.
• The car takes up almost half the page bringing better knowledge of how big the car is too the reader.
• Compared to the car, the title "Your Space" is about the same size resembling the big font of the word compares to the big space in the car.
• "YourSpace" is spelled as one word with a period at the end resembling two people and company in a car with a period as a ending point.
• You can only see the left side of the car leaving me in mystery about the other side of the car.
• 8 seats for passengers resembling a perfect car for any family.
• Many accessories within the car that are similar to a house accessories showing that just like a house is your space, a honda pilot is like your house on wheels.
• The picture is black and white removing all feeling from the photo.
• Two capitalizations in the one word title resembling the drivers seat and shotgun and all the lowercase words resemble passengers in the very big car.
• You can fit three of those same three cars in that one page showing how big the car is compared to the page.
• Referring a car to space shows how big the ad makes the car seem.