HU300 Arts and HumanitiesTwentieth Century and Beyond

John Ragan, Instructor

Our agenda for this seminar

A review of the work that was done in Unit 4

Our Unit 5 topics Looking ahead to Unit 6 The final project

The National Endowment for the Humanities

—The latest from the N.E.H.

TIME CAPSULE: Due in Unit 9 A letter of

introduction to tell someone in the future about your day-to-day life

An example of morality and decision-making in current culture

Your definition of happiness

Your definition of freedom

A significant literary work (poem, short story, or novel)

A significant example of art or architecture

A significant song or group of songs

A significant film A significant item

from popular culture (a toy, gadget, fad, etc.)

A review of Unit 4

• Many good posts and writing projects, so thanks for that!

Areas for improvement…Making sure that you provide detailed

main posts which thoroughly respond to the discussion questions.

Posting responses to other students which are substantive, and which help to advance the discussion.

In all of your posts (main post and responses to others), making references to the specific material in the readings and studies.

An example… Hindsight is always 20/20.  I believe it would be difficult to say whether or not the impact of the Civil Right’s Movements of the

1960s would have been the same with Malcom X as the leader.  Sometimes there are different ways to approach a situation that may achieve the same outcome.  Yet, I do believe that it is safe to assume that the collateral damage would have included very different results.  The two charismatic leaders had very different approaches to and philosophies regarding the inequalities and atrocities committed against our black citizens.  On one hand, Dr. King felt that for the most part, a path of passive resistance and persistent persuasion was the method most suited to the fight for civil rights.  According to his I Have a Dream Speech, it was of paramount importance to abstain from any physical violence, even if it was retaliatory in nature.  He states clearly in his speech, “let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must ever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force”.   On the other hand, Malcom X was very clear in his call to arms. According to Farber (1994), “he offered African-Americans embittered by generations of racism a stark alternative to Martin Luther King’s nonviolent, integrationist path” (p. 199).  As important as the method, was the desired outcome.  MLK states in his I Have a Dream Speech (1963), “now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood”.  His goal was full integration, brotherhood, and equality.  He felt that only by learning to live together in love and freedom would the wounds be healed.  Malcom X and his followers held a completely different view.  They felt that African-Americans should “live up to their African heritage and take pride in their dark skin and in their own communities” (Farber, 1994, p. 200).  His dream of a separate black nation did not include any healing or joining of races. 

In this reader’s opinion, Dr King’s methods were by far a better choice.  I believe that had Malcom X and his followers gained a larger following or foothold, the whole Country would have erupted in even more violence.  As my Grandmother used to say, you get more bees with honey than vinegar! 

Farber, D. (1994). The Age of Great Dreams. New York, New York: Hill and Wang. King, M. L. I Have a Dream. Lincoln Memorial. Washington D. C. 28 August, 1963. Keynote Address.

 

 

 

  

An example, continued Hi Julie, yes, I think it is a shame that Malcolm came to a different

viewpoint too late in his journey.  I sense though that one of the reasons he was so successful is that he was just echoing the anger and frustration felt by the many of the participants in the civil rights movement.  The movement had been stagnating, and it was just the right time for Malcolm to present a different approach.  I think the hallmark of a good politician is one that will give the people what they want. Malcolm realized the discontent and structured his platform around what the black community wanted. According to Farber (1994), "many Black Americans delighted in Malcolm X's abuse of the white man and his vision of black pride and strength" (p. 201).  Having grown tired of MLK's "Uncle Tom" approach, hearing Malcolm's fire brimming speeches denouncing the white community as ""subhuman devils" fulfilled a need in the black community to rebel against the approach taken by other civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King. (Farber, 1994)  Malcolm X's success was based then partially on his gift as a speaker but also partially on the direction of his message.  A different approach may not have garnered a similar response. Faber, D., (1994). The Age of Great Dreams. New York, N.Y.: Hill and Wang

Areas for improvement (cont’d)

• In the writing projects, making sure that you incorporate ideas, issues, concepts, etc, from the readings and studies for that unit.

• Using APA format, with internal citations and sources listed at the end.

• Checking spelling and overall clarity of writing before submitting the project.

Grading rubrics…“Makes frequent, informed references to unit material”

Finishing up the Music topic

Unit 4 explored the subject of music…

The standard bearers in musicWhat do the standard bearers communicate about the time, place, culture, influences, and circumstances that lead to these musical expressions?

Your own interests

Have there been types of music which you once disliked, but then developed an interest in?

Unit 5Literature!

Many forms of literature

Just as with art and music, there are many different forms of literature…

Epic talesSonnetsShort storiesPoetryNovelsBecause….there are many forms of

human expression!

Reading habits*In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts put out a study about �”Reading at Risk”, about the decline of reading in America. *What might explain thechange in readinghabits?

What does it say about a culture?

What does a decline or increase in reading of literature say about a culture? Why is reading literature important?

Poetry…which we focused on in Unit 5Poetry rarely is a best-seller…why do you

think that is?

Is poetry surviving in some ways?Poetry slams enjoy a following…

Looking ahead to Unit 6Morality…

Unit 6 examines Morality•Different schools of moral philosophy

•The application of moral decision-making

DEFINTIONMorality – the study of moral systems by

which significant choices are made.

Moral – an adjective indicating a choice between significant options, based on principles derived from reason, family teachings, education, religion or law.

Pearson Longman © 2009

Important concepts of morality in the Unit 6 readings

Moral absolutismUtilitarianismMoral relativism

A ship sinks, and the lifeboat can only hold five people, but there are seven people left on the sinking ship, and they all want to survive.

The only way to survive is in the lifeboat (there are no other options).

Do five of the people take the lifeboat and abandon the other two?

Do all seven people go down with the sinking ship?

What do YOU think is the morally correct answer?

The assignments in Unit 6

ReadingsDiscussionsSeminarNo writing assignment

When doing the Unit 6 discussionsRemember to extensively incorporate ideas and concepts from the readings into your main post, and into your responses to others.

Questions?