Papers by Culture in Focus International eJournal
Culture in Focus, 2018
An awareness of a “ghostly presence” is something that is often associated with Conrad and with C... more An awareness of a “ghostly presence” is something that is often associated with Conrad and with Conrad criticism in any age. Richard Curle discusses it as early as 1914 in Joseph Conrad: A Study, talking about Conrad’s ability to conjure characters with an eerie aptness and “photographic fidelity” as if in the “presence” of “ghostly friends” perceived in “the rosy light of remembrance” (103). John Stape (2007) found it in the “ghostly presence” of Poland (4), while Allan Simmons (2006) finds it in the Conrad short story “Karain” (160). R. N. Sarkar (1993) also discussed how Karain is “dogged” in the story by “his dead friend’s ghostly presence” (36). Padmini Mongia (1998) adds “spectral women” (155) while Justin Edwards (2005) discusses “the ghostly presence” in Conrad in terms of “the trope of the phantom” in the Gothic novel (xxix). Robert Lynd (1919) contributed the pervasive “ghost of romance” in Conrad as a “presence” that is “like an aura” (217). This paper looks at phantom manifestations of Mary Shelley as we consider the “ghostly presence” of Frankenstein in the works of Joseph Conrad. Mary Shelley was of course a literary figure associated with “ghosts”: her famous mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, her sisters, even her husband’s ex-wife. She was also associated, of course, with Percy Shelley, and with Byron and Polidori (author of the first “vampire” novel), in some very personal, as well as literary, ways. She read ghost stories. She was also immersed, as were no doubt the others mentioned, in the work of Wordsworth and Coleridge.1 Let us consider (1) Romanic influence from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein—going forward—and (2) Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness: considering these two works on either end of a timeline, it may become possible show a merely probable or likely (and therefore “ghostly”?) influence from Frankenstein onto Conrad and therefore into several of his works.
Culture in Focus, 2018
McGuire’s Teach Yourself How to Learn serves an extension of her well-received Teach Students How... more McGuire’s Teach Yourself How to Learn serves an extension of her well-received Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills and Motivation, which was published in 2015. While the latter’s target audience is teachers, the former aims at students, taking much of the same material and repackaging it in an easygoing and accessible style well-suited to college freshmen who are making the transition from high school to college. McGuire emphasizes strategies that students can use to improve their academic performance, employing theory (especially ideas about metacognition and Bloom's taxonomy) only insofar as it can help freshmen understand why these strategies work.
Culture in Focus, 2018
Anyone who has ever looked at the wall map of Europe in a history classroom will have seen the Ho... more Anyone who has ever looked at the wall map of Europe in a history classroom will have seen the Holy Roman Empire sitting astride Central Europe and Northern Italy for much of medieval and early modern history. But when we push a bit and ask what this Empire was, we find ourselves falling back to Voltaire’s quip that it was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire or (for those of us who teach surveys) that it was a collection of states in Central Europe. We know that it was no modern nation-state, but that it endured for just over a millennium from Charlemagne’s coronation by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800 to its dissolution on 6 August 1806. Peter H. Wilson manages to tell the story of this entity in about eight hundred surprisingly readable pages.
Culture in Focus, 2018
As Robert A. Gaines notes in his book’s preamble, a good many articles have been written to expla... more As Robert A. Gaines notes in his book’s preamble, a good many articles have been written to explain Bernard Shaw’s views on marriage as set forth in this or that play; yet few have attempted a big-picture view of the ways in which his understanding of the subject evolved throughout his nearly seventy-year writing career. For this project, Gaines has recruited twelve Shavian scholars to discuss Shaw’s treatment of marriage in his plays, novels, and personal life. Shaw stated in his preface to Getting Married: “[W]e use the word [marriage] with reckless looseness, meaning a dozen different things by it, and yet always assuming that to a respectable man it can have only one meaning” (Complete Plays with Prefaces III: 454-455). Gaines takes this quotation, along with two others from the same preface, as an unofficial motto to open the book. One need not read far into the collection to suspect that in this recklessly loose “we,” Shaw included himself, for his writings on marriage defy any concise definition of the term.
Culture in Focus, 2018
This reconsideration of the “state of Cultural Studies” is developed through teaching a Cultural ... more This reconsideration of the “state of Cultural Studies” is developed through teaching a Cultural Studies seminar in Puerto Rico, and via engagement with four “new” books of speeches, political essays, and autobiographical books by Stuart Hall. Drawing in part on non-academic experience, I join in a critique of the field’s devolution into a “dogmatic slumber” (Grossberg 4). I call into question a pattern of using claims of marginalization as a claim to power. And I argue that a more processual and less dogmatic form of cultural analysis should in fact be a cornerstone of general education cou
Culture in Focus, 2018
The importance of architecture in Hugo's work cannot be over-emphasized. The only locations menti... more The importance of architecture in Hugo's work cannot be over-emphasized. The only locations mentioned in detail are those which have some tie to the Gothic; these locations are also where the novel is bound. Hugo does well in personifying buildings such as Notre Dame, giving the cathedral as much of a voice as those who dwell within her. Within the confines of the Gothic cathedral, human depravity at its fullest is displayed through characters such as Frollo, while the same walls showcase the grandeur of human achievement through the beauty of Notre Dame. The cathedral and the Court of Miracles are not bound by the staunch rules of society, choosing rather to shelter those whom the world rejects inside their dark confines. Likewise, characters such as Quasimodo, Frollo and Esmeralda doubtlessly see themselves reflected in the supposedly unfeeling architecture, choosing to live within a realm which ordinary society cannot understand.
Culture in Focus, 2018
Director Euzhan Palcy continually challenges conventional ways of seeing the struggles of African... more Director Euzhan Palcy continually challenges conventional ways of seeing the struggles of African Diaspora people in films like Sugar Cane Alley (based on Joseph Zobel’s book Black Shack Alley) and A Dry White Season (Andre Brink’s novel of the same title). Palcy brings an understanding of the depths and dignity of collective resistance in Martinique and South Africa respectively during the colonial and post-colonial eras. Rather than essentialize female characters from these novels, Palcy draws from gender relationships to construct new visions of empowerment for men and women. This paper uses intersectionality theory and comparative historical analysis to explore Palcy’s process of converting books-to-films, how her films present new ways to frame female experiences, and how they expand female visibility and inclusion. This is accomplished by comparing four other books-to-film examples to legitimize the fidelity of the films to its source material since is it often unlikely that the viewers of the films have read the books
Culture in Focus, 2018
The study examines the relations between child-care center teachers' occupational stress and teac... more The study examines the relations between child-care center teachers' occupational stress and teaching efficacy. The subjects were 185 teachers at a child-care center in South Korea. In order to examine the teachers' occupational stress and teaching efficacy, Clark's (1980) “Modified Teacher Occupational Stress Factor Questionnaire,” and Enochs & Riggs's (1990) “Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument” were used. The results were as follows: (1) First, child-care center teachers are under a somewhat high level of stress at work, and the higher the academic level, the higher the stress that was felt at work (2). Second, It was revealed that the teaching efficacy of the teachers was slightly higher the more experience they had. (3) Third, It turns out that the occupational stress and teaching efficacy of teachers are correlated with a statistically significant negative relationship.
Culture in Focus, 2018
What is silence? According to The Oxford English Dictionary, silence is “abstaining or forbearing... more What is silence? According to The Oxford English Dictionary, silence is “abstaining or forbearing from speech.” However, an interdisciplinary approach to silence suggests that it can have many different meanings. Acoustic ecologists have a special interest in the “quiet” of natural soundscapes and the negative effects of noise on birds and marine life. As for human beings, we have a persistent drive to develop technology, and the noise of our machines is ubiquitous. In the first half of the nineteenth century, physicians began to ask about the link between certain industrial occupations and hearing loss. More recent studies in psychology have focused on the connection
The Many Dimensions of Silence Fred Guyette14between noise and stress, and how human beings learn to cope with noise as they perform certain tasks. In education, teachers worry about the way media noise displaces reflective silence in the inner lives of their students. The spiritual significance of silence is described in Biblical tradition and in the monastic rule of St. Benedict. Many legal traditions recognize a right to remain silent. When it comes to moral decline in organizations, would-be “whistleblowers” must decide whether they will break the prevailing “code of silence.” On the other hand, we should not discount the possibility that in other social contexts, silence can be an effective form of protest and a prelude to social change.
Culture in Focus, 2018
Like a woman embellishing herself in grandeur and elegance, the body of a shopping mall is aesthe... more Like a woman embellishing herself in grandeur and elegance, the body of a shopping mall is aesthetically fashioned from time to time. The linear structure of a shopping mall is modernist itself, from which a shopping mall can depart, moving towards postmodernity by its narrative fashion. A shopping mall can be postmodernist by departing from the modernist linear structure. Telford Plaza, a local shopping mall in Hong Kong, consists of modernist and postmodernist elements, addressing the way of life of Hong Kong people through the spectacle of “the East Meets West.” The interplay of modernist and postmodernist elements evokes compelling sensations to strollers, with which “the East Meets West” resonates.
Culture in Focus, 2019
“War” is a term with so many negative connotations: how can we be eager to talk about any aspect ... more “War” is a term with so many negative connotations: how can we be eager to talk about any aspect of war when the number of casualties can at times easily exceed the population of an entire country? Do we really like reading about wars? Do we like to learn why countries wage war against other countries assumed to be enemies? Unless it is necessary, war is a crime. “Necessity” is actually a very relevant term and obviously it would differ based on the perspective you have. Should the assassination of an Austrian king lead all of Europe to erupt with wars on different fronts? It is WWI we are talking about at this point. Though it is a War that was fought on multiple fronts, historians mainly tend to talk about the Western front and the Eastern front. Though WWI was fought mainly on the European Continent, we see the United Kingdom conscripted minors from Australia and New Zealand to fight the war in Gallipoli. Why did so many countries serve as actors in this war? The responses would undoubtedly vary based on different factors. However, most importantly, was it worth sacrificing “half the seed of Europe”?
Culture in Focus, 2019
In Trilogies as Cultural Analysis, Gregory Stevens has brilliantly constructed what he refers to ... more In Trilogies as Cultural Analysis, Gregory Stevens has brilliantly constructed what he refers to as a “big canvas” view of cultural studies. The breadth of his study, in several directions, certainly backs his claim. The book is divided into three sections (four if you include the lengthy and important introduction). Section one comprises three chapters on “Sea Crossings,” one way that humans experiencing the human condition pass “between worlds and across cultures” on their way to their own experience of enlightenment, modes of self-knowledge that three works of literature here analyzed invite us to share.
Culture in Focus, 2019
When considering how African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and multimodality can be used in ... more When considering how African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and multimodality can be used in composition courses, it is important to consider the rhetorical power of language. Standard Written English (SWE) is the standard for academic and professional writing in the United States, and it has been the assigned goal for many composition classes for decades. However, some students have struggled with SWE over time because it is not their "home" or native language. Also, their home language may be interpreted as incorrect speech, which can give the impression that they do not know how to communicate effectively. This is far from the truth, but instructors can negatively instill this impression by not viewing their languages as acceptable. Introduction I have come across studies discussing the use of code-meshing in composition classrooms, studies demonstrating how to replace print-based composition assignments with multimodal assignments, and also research on African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a home language and what that means in relation to students. However, there is a gap in research regarding what would happen if these theories were used together to teach college composition students to better understand components of Standard Written English. My study will attempt to fill this gap in research by showing how AAVE, code-meshing, and multimodality can be used to teach Standard Written English (SWE) in composition classrooms. My study responds to Alexander and Rhodes' theory of techno-inclusionism, Vershawn Young's theory of code-meshing, and Hocks and Comstock's theory of resonance and multimodality in composition classrooms.
Culture in Focus, 2019
this qualitative case study explored the praxis of "third space" in relation to shaping and conce... more this qualitative case study explored the praxis of "third space" in relation to shaping and conceptualizing academic literacies of an undergraduate culturally diverse student, Juan. The research questions asked in this study are: How did Juan, a Latino-American student, experience the connection between the academic writing process and cultural identity? How did Juan engage in academic literacies in the third space? Juan was interviewed three times during the study and the interviews were audio-recorded. Juan was asked to share a writing assignment with the researcher that he liked writing and another assignment that he did not enjoy writing. His interviews were transcribed and analyzed by using the principles of grounded theory. The overarching themes that emerged from Juan's data were cultural identity, influence of culture, identity conflict, and academic writing. The data analysis examined the space that emerged from his data, a space showing the hybrid practices of his culture and his academic literacies. This article argued that as educators, we need to recognize this third space in order to scaffold our students to become successful in classroom literacies.
Culture in Focus, 2019
Research can be a fun and stimulating part of any writing project. Even a little exploration into... more Research can be a fun and stimulating part of any writing project. Even a little exploration into a subject can inspire a scribe to new breakthroughs. This article examines how research enriches all genres of writing. The personal source-what a writer already knows before the first draft-combines with the multitude of resource possibilities to enrich any work. The author of this paper shares research methods utilizing source/resource methods in four of her own books: text, poetry, memoir, and novel. Also integrated into the examination of what and when to research are two examples of exercises writers can create to stimulate their imaginations of what source/resource may be helpful for evolving works. Writers should take pleasure and stimulation from the many avenues of research that are possible. Most of us utilize research on a daily basis. However, as writers, we often overlook the vast amount of personal source at our reserve; and we sometimes fail to access the enormous wealth in all categories of resource stored up and waiting to enrich our manuscripts. How do we daily engage in source and resource research in a routine manner? When we ask for the secret ingredient that makes a friend's dish so enticing, we are going to the source in an oral investigation with the desire to incorporate these "secrets" into our own cooking. When we google "How to control ants?" we are searching resources for information from authorities in order to garner necessary facts for a successful outcome. We diligently seek and file genealogical connections to gain a broader perspective on our own lives. Exploring resources of our heritage can spark our imaginations as to how it must have been, enabling us to project ourselves into the lives of our kin, long gone-and, perhaps enabling us to discover the possible source of our own characteristics. Further resources into the social and personal lives may bring discoveries and answers to the circumstances, choices, and motivations that shaped our ancestors' lives. Whether a loved one falls ill with a dreaded disease or gets bitten by a spider, we often interview professionals, research the internet, read books and periodicals, and exchange stories with neighbors and kin. When our friend mysteriously dies in a strange place by an unknown cause, we may become a resource-or even a suspect whose lawyers will inspect diligently all tools, places, people, and actions of everyone involved as they research for motive and cause through laboratories, interviews, and written or recorded evidences. Just as we uncover information on a daily basis to enhance our lives, we can implement the same strategy to generate deeper insights into a writer's subject matter. Research, artfully imbedded, makes for a fascinating read. Furthermore, the process often leads to new friends, exciting writing possibilities. The new avenues of interest may surprise. Sometimes writers find
Culture in Focus, 2019
Known as the inventor of detective fiction and the father of the American short story, Edgar Alla... more Known as the inventor of detective fiction and the father of the American short story, Edgar Allan Poe is highly regarded for his contributions to the world of literature. His fascination with crime is very intriguing and he is seen as a significant influence on later fiction, particularly in Horror and the Gothic. Stories like "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" are excellent examples of Poe's major contribution to the crime genre along with his creation of the "whodunit" detective, which in turn paved the way for future writers to follow the same basic structure in their crime novels and short stories. The "true crime" theme is a main focus for some of his best works. By exploring several of his literary works, we are able to view Edgar Allan Poe's unique use of crime. We are also able tease-out the true origin of the Poesque confessional character and the distinctively Poesque detective character.
Culture in Focus, 2019
Travel literature which has gained popularity and significance among literary circles enables the... more Travel literature which has gained popularity and significance among literary circles enables the reader to transport to different places, to different peoples, and hence to different cultural and social settings. Writers who have produced many significant and timeless masterpieces using this genre have revealed important facts about the Turkish social and cultural identities of their times. This paper will take the reader from the past to the present and show that no matter when or where these travel works of literary merit were written, they almost always reveal social and cultural facts. There is a fundamental difference between tourists and travelers. The two writers included in this paper are Sir Steven Runciman and Paul Theroux, and their works reveal their perceptions of Turkey. They are not always objective but more often than not their remarks are justifiable. Yet, they both reveal the cultural identities of the Turkish people as seen through the eyes of two remarkable writers of travel literature. Meeting current challenges regarding preserving heritage or cherishing tradition requires an awareness of cultural and national values, while the oral tradition, classical literacy, and technology have the additional power to maintain cultural and national identity within diverse societies. Cultural heritage, as evolving patterns of human interaction, vitalizes members of society. And in our present-day world where globalization plays a major role, cultural studies rather than adherence to literary studies have gained the upper hand. Thus there has been a trend to shift from traditional literary studies to cultural studies. Simon During, a professor of English at the University of Queensland, explains several reasons for the shift from literature to cultural studies in related departments. He says there is a trend in portraying anti-academicism; a new mode of subject formation which leads students to be consumers of cultural goods, the valorization of social identities perceived as marginal within a traditional academic framework. He also adds that students' choice in enrollment plays a significant role, too. These trends in change rely on the changed modes of ethical formation and the changed institutional structures and strategies. Cultural studies is a way of contextualizing texts, of analyzing the social relations of textuality. Cultural studies shifts the interpretive gaze from a self-contained text to its social and discursive framings. It opens a potentially fruitful methodological exchange between the distinct protocols of interpretation that apply in the social sciences and the textual disciplines. Cultural studies and literary studies work best when they coexist in tension and pave the way to an exchange of ideas based on the cultural and literary background of the class or of those involved in such discussions. A good culture means national prosperity. Therefore culture, which is defined as the prevailing values, attitudes, beliefs, and underlying assumptions about life held by majority or minority groups in a society (Jennings 2001), is the sole wealth of a nation. Culture Matters
Culture in Focus, 2019
Commedia dell'arte had implications beyond aesthetics and décor per se. It both played to and inf... more Commedia dell'arte had implications beyond aesthetics and décor per se. It both played to and influenced politics and ideological expression particularly for the European elite and those who imitated the elite. The figurines of Franz Anton Bustelli are a case in point. Looking at his 18 th century productions at several Bavarian porcelain factories, contextual factors behind the artists and especially their patrons can be analyzed to include aspects of internationalism, politics, projection of socioeconomic and political power and also racism and cultural chauvinism.
Culture in Focus, 2019
The first two books of Milton's Paradise Lost are very difficult for students to understand yet e... more The first two books of Milton's Paradise Lost are very difficult for students to understand yet essential to Milton's world. The first two books are a prequel to the human fall. The characters in these early books echo in the dialogue between Adam and Eve. Movement in Milton's Hell reflects its spiritual loss, for it is restricted to un-resolving repetition. This motion counters the vibrant peace of Heaven. Through her paintings, Kathryn E. Lenz elucidates the most difficult moments in these first two books. Designed for use in the classroom, Lenz's paintings highlight details that students typically struggle with. At the same time, they complement famous paintings and engravings that respond to Milton's poetry since the first edition with engravings appeared in 1688. The artist incorporates observations made by Renaissance travel writers known to Milton in her vision of Milton's Hell.
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Papers by Culture in Focus International eJournal
The Many Dimensions of Silence Fred Guyette14between noise and stress, and how human beings learn to cope with noise as they perform certain tasks. In education, teachers worry about the way media noise displaces reflective silence in the inner lives of their students. The spiritual significance of silence is described in Biblical tradition and in the monastic rule of St. Benedict. Many legal traditions recognize a right to remain silent. When it comes to moral decline in organizations, would-be “whistleblowers” must decide whether they will break the prevailing “code of silence.” On the other hand, we should not discount the possibility that in other social contexts, silence can be an effective form of protest and a prelude to social change.
The Many Dimensions of Silence Fred Guyette14between noise and stress, and how human beings learn to cope with noise as they perform certain tasks. In education, teachers worry about the way media noise displaces reflective silence in the inner lives of their students. The spiritual significance of silence is described in Biblical tradition and in the monastic rule of St. Benedict. Many legal traditions recognize a right to remain silent. When it comes to moral decline in organizations, would-be “whistleblowers” must decide whether they will break the prevailing “code of silence.” On the other hand, we should not discount the possibility that in other social contexts, silence can be an effective form of protest and a prelude to social change.