By: Hasani and Brigette
The poem Didactic Elegy came from a book Angel of Yaw. The book mainly talks about two struggling forces grief, and instruction. When we looked up what the title meant and broke it down into pieces it resembled types of literature demonstrated in art intended for instruction. It’s a poem intended to teach a moral lesson in this case (elegy) expressing sorrow in poem, or musical composition.
This poem opens up saying “intention draws a bold, black line across an otherwise white field”. This is him staring to draw his masterpiece. Saying that the eye holds the relevance what you see is what’s really happening. No one can make something that happened on September 11th up. It later states it’s easy to apply a continuous black mark on to a primed canvas. We feel it means that they had all that they needed to know on how to blow up the twin towers. With our help that they were able to know what kind of force and where they would need to hit the twin towers for them to go down. This is also true in art that if something’s already primed it’s easy to smear the lines. But it’s difficult to see what you’re going to add next to a painting without ruining what’s already there.
So why is that artwork showing death, but sets across a message is “charged with negativity”. Why is it not the subjects, but the object or in this case the bigger message that’s negative, why isn’t it the subjects who did it? The art in this is not only what the buildings stood for but also what it endured, how the crash of September is the “radical reevaluations [is the] masterpiece.” Not only was it the second time it happened but they also made sure to hit both of the towers to make sure the work of art is enduring all that is capable, otherwise it would be an unfinished masterpiece.
Why does the critic feel guilty to view this like a masterpiece? Yes it’s negative but when we think of masterpiece we think about not only the act but everything you needed to prepare to make it all come together. To make sure everything blends in well to make sure that your final piece is what you wanted. Otherwise then the artwork will be assigned a different value than what you intended. Why is it that you have to realize what you had, when its gone?
Can you imagine something even if it didn’t happen? When you think of the twin towers what do you think of first the event of the towers standing, or the events image of them collapsing? The eye of the beholder will tell you who were the hero’s? Should they be considered heros even if it wasn’t their choice to be in that situation? If they are heroes to you for going through what they had to endure, then why did they make that choice to jump out of the window? Why do heroes have to be the victims willing to risk their life to save someone else? The firemen, police, traffic guards, everyone trying to get the people to safety, they are the heroes but why should they go through such lengths to show what their capable of?
This is a picture and a link of one of the victims taking life into his own hands and jumping out the window with no regret.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falling_Man
Unless to be an American means to embrace one’s death. That’s what the president said, is this why we got attacked, look at who was leading our country at the time of war.
This is the clip of the president’s reaction to when he heard the news. (Scroll down and observe the picture of him reading with the kid)
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/schoolvideo.html?q=schoolvideo.html
The first line is the starting point like his thesis statement. But then he reuses it two more times changing to meaning but also allowing you to finish the sentence. Showing you where he begins, but also leading you to the beginning is also where it ends. The poem allows him to ask questions, but also lets him tell the reader what’s the right answer. He repeats pieces of a line and reuses them to show a different meaning. Or he uses his word in the definition that he’s trying to explain to you, “The mere appearance of significance is significant.” He also repeats the epigraph on the first page “sense that sees itself is spirit”. He later restates it replacing " sense” and “ignorance”, and “spirit” and “elegy.”
This is further explanation of the elegy.
http://jacketmagazine.com/37/stone-freeman-re-lerner.shtml
Take precaution when viewing this, this is the video if the twin towers collapse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qddt-_zu4D0
Questions to consider:
Why did you think the author used the title “Didactic Elegy”?
Why do you think the author uses the Greeks to demonstrate meaninglessness, beauty, death and heroic?
Who do you think the author is referring to when uses “critic” and why does he refers to the critic as a “she”?
What does it takes to be a hero? Who do you consider to be a hero and does the same image appears when you think about that person?
Did the people in the twin towers have an option to live or die and should they be considered as heroes?
What was your first reaction of September 11, 2001 and do you have any heroic remembrance of that day?
Can September 11, 2001 event be considered a masterpiece? If so then to whom?
How can people mourn by themselves when the media makes them relive the tragedy over and over again?
What is the first thing you visualize when the twin towers is mention? Should we remember the towers standing or the towers collapse?
What does it takes to be a hero? Who do you consider to be a hero and does the same image appears when you think about that person?
ReplyDeleteIn the poem he describes a hero as someone who accepts their own death. I believe that those in the towers were heros because they died against their will as a symbol for their country. For me that is a hero. If you consider a hero someone who accepts their death, then according to that definition the terrorists who performed the act of September 11. In addition I strongly consider those who ran in to save people heros. They are the true heros, they are not like the people in the building that had no option yet I still consider heros, those people are heros by default. They risked their lives, put their lives on the line and accepted the fact that they would lose their lives to save others and fight for their country.
I remember September 11, I was in 5th grade and someone in my class got called down randomly to be signed out. We were shocked we didn't know why she was being signed out and we realized the teachers had gotten frantic and were whispering in the corners. It was then that we realized something was wrong. As the day went on more and more girls got signed out. Finally it was my turn my mom came to get me and my brother. We had no idea what happened, the first time we heard what had happened was when my mom told us. It was shocking to us because we were there just a few weeks ago. That night I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned all night imagining my house or my school was next.
This blog responds to the question: How can people mourn by themselves when the media makes them relive the tragedy over and over again?
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is nearly impossible for people to “mourn by themselves” if the media continues to make them relive the tragedy. If the individual was to not engage his or herself into television, radio or any other form of media, then that person may be able to move pass their memories of 9/11. However, I also believe that it is difficult to do so, especially living in New York City. I find it difficult for myself as a New Yorker to travel in the city, and not think of 9/11 when I see other historic buildings such as the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. The main place in NYC that is difficult to not think of 9/11 is lower Manhattan (near the seaport and Century 21), where the event took place. Therefore, not only is it impossible for one to mourn by himself from the tragedy due to the media, it is also difficult to live in New York and fully recover from the tragedy as well.
The first thing I realized when I read this poem was its particular attention to details and structure. “Didactic” and “elegy” seems awkward when paired together, and after reading the passage, it seems to make sense--its clearly an elegy when it mourns the September 11th tragedy, and it is didactic in the sense of there being a moral axiom and message. But what exactly is this message about? Its very tough to distinguish the authors message through his strict adhering to the poem’s style and contradictions/questions. All in all, I feel that his “message” involves the looking at the September 11th terrorist attacks without analyzing it in depth, to not keep it in the act of memorialization, and to not assign value to something with no value. In this way, the poet is saying “refusing to assign meaning to an event is to interpret lovingly” (pg 67), rather than expressing it in a way that is “negative” via formalism and the like. The poet spends a considerable amount of time talking about the different ways to interpret and feel about the tragedy, and takes even more to time to discuss the consequences of that state of mind, saying how it would lead to either sadness or an improper way to view the event. Thus is why I feel he ends his poem with the line, “Ignorance that sees itself is elegy.” (pg 67) This comes right after his central conclusion that “The meaninglessness of the drawing is therefore meaningful and the failure to seek out value is heroic.” (pg 67) In these lines he says that intending as little as possible is the better way to memoralize the tragedy, and not assigning value to it is another thing that must be done. Ignorance, via means of not assigning value and intending as little as possible, is the correct sense of mourning the event. Like the blank canvas allusion he makes, the way we remember the event must be like a line on a blank canvas--further thought and action would make it into a “masterpiece.”
ReplyDeleteI think specifically he used the reference to the Greeks to connect things the Greek were known for (death by honor and the flourishing of the arts) to his own points: heroism in dying, and the artistic allusion to the blank canvas. To say specifically that the people who committed suicide by jumping out of the windows were not heroic, due to their unwillingness to accept death with honor was unsettling to me. I can’t outright disagree with this, due to the fact that the people who came to the rescue effort (firemen, policemen, EMS) and died in that way are seen as more heroic. But in the poem, he questions whether these victims were heroes or not, and even referenced the manning flapping his arms as he fell. I feel there is an overall sober outlook, or at least, an empathizing undertone throughout the piece as the poet tries to establish a way of thinking to the reader. But at some points, like the one mentioned, I feel that, for lack of a better word, he was too harsh in his treatments and descriptions of those that suffered through the event.
I enjoyed reading Didactic Energy very much because I understand exactly where the author is coming from. There are many times where I read a poem and I have no idea what the author is talking about. I am a native New Yorker( Downtown Manhattan to be Exact) so I was pretty close to this incident when it occurred. There were some family friends that died as well as a cousin of mine so there was much empathy when reading this. When I read this it forced me to flashback to 2001 when I was in 6th grade. It wasn't a flashback to a good time but it was a flashback nonetheless and It was real. Real feelings are good but they can also be terrible but when they are real the reader is able to make the most connections with the piece.
ReplyDeleteThe falling man was probably one of the saddest things I have ever seen. Many people jumped that day because they knew they were going to die. Even though it was a horrific day it is a day we will never forget. There are so many poems, articles, books, and documentaries on this because of the effect it had on our Nation. This event is going in the History books. This is an even that our kids and grandchildren will ask us about.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I could remember on Septemer 11, I was in my elementary dance class. The teacher stopped everything and bought everyone to the auditorium. Childrens and adults had worried and sorrow on their face. I was pretty much clueless because no one announced what had happened. Everyone was dismissed early, and I found out about the tragic when I got home. I was worried sick about the ones I know. I dont know anyone that died, or the ones that have connections with the deceased. I only know the feelings from reading and hearing from others. But not the "real" feeling.
ReplyDeleteI was in shock because i had never seen anything that bad happen on US soil and now literally in fear that something like this could happne again. 14 months before this happen I interviewed to work with Aetna, A compnay located inside the Towers, I didnt get the job but i was overcome with so many different feelings. I was now happy i didnt get the job and sad because so many people had died. a friends mom who worked there was late for work and had to go get coffee as punishment for everyone else and she watched the planes crash into the towers. I hope we never forget what happened and we never allow others to foget. I did enjoy reading this and for the first time i could actually relate to everything that was talked about so i didnt have to use my imagination which was good for a change. I had true feelings and emotions towards this reading and event.
ReplyDeleteI feel so old reading that linda was in elementary class but what i remember when this happen was my Commander calling me in and telling us (soldiers) that their will be action taken and we should start getting our minds ready for this. I was on the first wave to Iraq.