I'd like you to find a comic on the internet and, as we did in class, deconstruct the comics meaning and its viability as a piece of literature. Find a comic strip that really resonates with you and be sure to provide a link so that we can all view your comic. Feel free to comment on others' selections as well!
Consider the Far Side comic I've selected for this extra credit discussion. Note how it can reflect any gifted and talented school, such as our own. We may have vast intellect, but at times, we can be scatterbrained and flustered to the point where our common sense doesn't always shine through. I think it's a strong example of how a simple one-cell comic strip can be literature.
What do I hate most? “Long winded talkers.” What do I mean? People who literally can’t stop talking, whether it’s on the phone or in a conversation. But whether you’re guilty of being a “long winded talker” or a victim like me, let’s admit it, when you have homework to get done or desperately not want to miss your favorite show, sometimes all you can ask for is silence. And that’s why I absolutely love this comic strip:
ReplyDelete10 Reasons to Avoid Talking on the Phone
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/phone
The gist of this comic is pretty self-explanatory: 10 reasons why you should never give a human a phone.
1. The Courtesies
I’m not going to argue that being rude is right, but people can we get to the point! I can’t tell you how many times people have called me up and spent half an hour asking me how my life is, when all they needed was the math homework.
2. The Impulsive
Maybe I’ll take back what I said previously because if you’re going to call and start off like this:
“Yo, gimme the math homework,” I might as well hang up.
3. The Jagged
The infamous conversation that lacks flow - certainly my favorite. And the funniest part is when my friend and I both apologize, but end up interrupting each other again. Basically the conversation goes like this:
“Oh I’m sor-”
“Yeah, I’m sorry...ugh you were saying.”
“No go on.”
“No honestly, what did you want to say.”
4. The Pauses
Ring, ring, ring…
…
Hello.
Hello.
…
How are you?
Good.
…
Ok..
Ok…
Ok...so why do want to speak to me exactly?...
My point - we are NOT telepathic.
5. The Body Language
Major reason why you should take everything you hear as literal.
6. The Distracted
Major reason why some things should simply be ignored. “Ignorance is bliss.”
7. The Lecturer
I had a friend in elementary school who would call me every night and vent all her problems for hours. The worst part is that when I tried to tell her in the most polite way, goodbye, she would bring up another topic.
8. The Neverending Conversation
Would you SHUT UP already.
9. The Anxious
First, take a chill pill.
Next, I really do NOT need to hear your life story.
10. The Epic Goodbye
Anna and Elsa would be very disappointed in all of us for not “letting go.”
And those are the 10 reasons why you should stay away from phones, let alone talk on them! As for all those “long winded talkers” out there, hope you got a glimpse into the other end of the line.
-Hannah Fishman
"You only try this once" (http://theoatmeal.com/blog/playdoh) is a comic that is so relateable to almost everyone, that it has to be literature. Everyone I know, (when they were little) has eaten playdoh. As little kids we all think that the pink playdoh will task like an artificial strawberry, just like a pink candy would. However, upon tasting it, we realize how wrong we were and vow never to eat playdoh again (unless you have a weird urge for something extremely salty). Another reason why this is literature is because it uses words and pictures to convey an idea; that playdoh is not as tasty as it looks. The images of "expectations" and "reality" express ideas that would be difficult to write with out a visual aid (a picture). In this comic, a picture is really worth a thousand words.
ReplyDelete"Homeless man VS your cat" http://theoatmeal.com/comics/homeless_vs_cat
ReplyDeleteis a comic that I find that everyone who is an owner of a pet can relate to! It reminds us that even though our most-loved cat or dog is very dear to us, they also share common characteristics of a homeless man. This comic shines through the boundaries of what everyday things to us actually are. It gives a different perspective on how we would view an animal; as a pleasant and not-so-pleasant aspect of our lives. However, it also reminds us of how we should put our actions into effect of treating these aspects. Just like we should be kind and generous to our pets, it is also important to treat a homeless man well.
"The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run" http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running is a comic for anyone that sees many obstacles in life. The character faces the "blerch" which he considers to be a form of his past self, which is fat and lazy. Every person has their own "blerch" that they don't want to become, however, we try to do a hobby to forget our "blerch". This comic relates to many people therefore this is definitely a piece of literature because people can relate to it, and it expresses a feeling that we all go through at one point. In addition, it contains many ideas that can be interpreted differently causing the reader to use their imagination to find out what the author intended to do. In conclusion this is a piece of literature.
ReplyDelete"Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newyorker.com/sandbox/sketchbook/chast-parents/
This is one of the first web comics that I've seen in the New Yorker. It's like a novel yet it couldn't be expressed in any other way but through pictures and words. The drawings themselves and the words create a special kind of humor that sort of shrouds the idea that the author is really trying to get across. It lightens the weight of the themes, and that is why humor is so important.
What this graphic novel talks about is generations, death, and family and how important it is. Her father dies and it's almost funny the way she depicts it. Yes old age is bad, people die, and inevitably you will have to send your parents to a home. But it's not that bad. Just like how the author finds humor in the situation through this comic, and how the mother finds enjoyment in "The Place." You can too. Find humor in every situation. Laugh, enjoy life. Before we all die.
In regards to the one-cell comic strip posted above, I agree with Mr. Ferencz that this is a strong piece of literature, that truly reflects us - humans, in every aspect of life. What’s ironic is that while we consider ourselves to be the brightEST and MOST talented of all species, this here is a clear example of the type of idiocy we also possess. Let’s face it - while we can invent the ipod, ipod touch, ipod nano, ipod shuffle, ipad, ipad mini, ipad air, iphone 1, iphone 2g, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, iphone 4, iphone 4s...you finish the rest - we struggle to simply open a door. Why? Because we never read directions! We’re careless, ignorant, and negligent, unless the situation concerns us in which case we still mess up. We forget the simple things like manners, punctuality, organization, did I mention - directions etc., all that which we should have mastered as infants. But then again, maybe it’s time to question just how simple “common sense” really is. Leonardo da Vinci himself once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I feel this comic is not solely a laughing matter, rather one that should be taken seriously when it comes to more significant areas of life. For example, while it’s common sense not to drink or text while driving, people nonetheless take part in these types of dangerous behaviors, taking the lives of themselves and others for granted. As a result, each year close to 1,000 fatalities occur.
So now, are we all that superior? Did you know that our genomes are at least 98 percent identical to that of chimpanzees. As for that “cute, little” squirrel you saw at the park the other day, there’s a large possibility that it was most likely plotting deception. And finally, if you’re going to offend someone, think twice about calling them a pig. As it turns out, not only are they wise, they’re clean too! In the 1990s for example, pigs were trained to move a cursor on a video screen with their snouts, then use the cursor to distinguish between scribbles they knew and those they were seeing for the first time. They learned the task as quickly as chimpanzees. But while these examples all seem to fall under intelligence, isn’t that part of common sense? So next time, think twice when you’re at the zoo! And keep in mind this scenario:
Would knowing 2+2 save you if you were lost in the jungle...
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ReplyDelete"Log out, right now." http://theoatmeal.com/comics/log_out
DeleteIn this short expression of a critical human flaw, our protagonist is compelled by his conscience to leave the comfort of his electronics and go outside to "experience the world." Upon discovering that it is cold outside however, he instead decides to remain indoors with his hot chocolate. In this scenario, the narrator uses the cold weather as an excuse to avoid the undesirable task of going outside. He lacks the motivation to do what he needs to get done.
This might sound familiar to some of us. For us students of a competitive and work-laden school like Stuyvesant, lack of motivation is truly a plague. Perhaps the most prominent example of this is procrastination. Those of us who face this predicament know the routine all too well. Being reluctant to do our work much like the narrator is hesitant to go outdoors, we put off it off until we suffer the repercussions and regret it, only to repeat the process again. This comic illustrates quite well the thought process of one who lacks motivation.
"7 things you really don't need to take a photo of"
ReplyDeletehttp://theoatmeal.com/comics/photos
This comic is literature because it resonates with a lot of people. Many people, myself included, take pictures at unnecessary times and it turns out to be a big waste. This comic addresses moments that we should enjoy, not capture. It mocks people who take useless pictures in a funny way that makes us understand the artist's reasons without feeling insulted.
The Far Side comic shows a boy who goes to a school for the gifted but pushes a door that says pull. I cannot count the number of times that I have done that. This comic shows that nobody is perfect; and people cannot be intelligent in every area of life. It also shows the effect of not reading directions. Like Hannah mentioned earlier, we struggle with the simple task of reading directions because it seems so simple that we overlook it.
http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/s/sleep_deprivation.asp
ReplyDeleteSleep Deprivation cartoon 1 of 22
Going to STUY everyone must have related to this comic at least once in their 4 years. STUY is known for its egregious amount of work and long travel times which eventually leads to sleep deprivation. This comic shows how we appear to other students after sleeping 4 or less hours a day, even coffee can’t help! We become like vampires living in the night and taking naps during the day to escape the sunshine. Sleep Deprivation is definitely a piece of literature, since it allows one to comprehend more than what is present in the comic and make assumptions. This represents a cycle of life which we go through. How sleep deprived are you?