Contemporary Body Issue

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/03/nyregion/art-how-20-artists-treat-the-human-body-20-different-ways.html

Chapters 11- 16 Riders of the Purple Sage

On page 101 “In the shady court, where Jane spent many of the hot July days, Fays tiny feet pattered over the stone flags and splashed in the amber spring.”  I thought this was interesting in terms of body movements.

I noticed that the author, Zane, likes to talk about a person’s eyes.  For example, on page 102, “She watched Lassiter with great, round, grave eyes but showed no fear.” Also, “He saw Bess’s face white now with dark, frightened eyes” shown on page 134. On page 143, “Her pale face, her great, glowing, earnest eyes, seemed to stand alone out of the gloom of the gorge” which was another example of a description of eyes.  The last example I found when I was reading regarding eyes is on page 160, “That, if it were needed, was the concluding evidence of  her femininity;  for it went fittingly with her sun-tinted hair and darkened, dilated eyes, the sweetness of her mouth and the striking symmetry of her slender shape.” Eyes tell a lot about a person.

On page 122 “But if I lost Black Star and Night, it would be like parting with my own flesh and blood.” People become attached to their animals. Losing an animal is like losing a family member.

Karie King

Chapters 5-11 Riders of the Purple Sage

I like how the author compares parts of the body to weather or landscape. For example,  the quote on page 39 that states “ Her rigidity loosened in one long quiver and she lay back limp, still, white as snow, with closed eyes.”

I thought it was interesting on page 40 the line where it says “Nevertheless, he tore sage-leaves from the bush, and pressing them tightly over her wounds, he bound the black scarf round her shoulder, tying it securely under her arm.” I guess when they are out on the land they have to do what they got to do.

On page 90 I thought was a great description about landscape, “The curved roof, stained by ages of leakage with buff and black and rust-colored streaks, swept up and loomed higher and seemed to soar to the rim of the cliff.”

Karie King

Riders of the Purple Sage (5-11)

A quote that I really liked from the reading that we did for today was on page 39, right after Venters realized that he shot a woman. Grey wrote, " He cursed himself and the unerring aim of which he had been so proud. He had seen that look in the eyes of a crippled antelope which he was about to finish with his knife. But in her it had infinitely more- a revelation of mortal spirit. The instinctive clinging to life was there, and the divining helplessness and the terrible accusation of the stricken."  

I just thought this was a good quote to not only depict Venter's character, but to also because it focuses on the girl's (Bess's) eyes and what Venters learns from them.  

Why did it matter to Venters that it was a woman? He felt that the masked rider was guilty prior to him learning tue gender of the rider, but after she was no longer guilty and he was. It just seems to be an important aspect of his character. 

Also, we talked about how we as the reader learn about Bess through Venters eyes, and I think that this quote shows how Venters is introduced to Bess the person. I also think that this quote is the start to Venters learning about her, not only through his questions, but through her body. Ultimately I think that through Bess's eyes Venters is finally starting to understand the truth behind everything that is happening. 

- Jessica Mitchell

landscape

Bell Rock Cliffs in Utah

Purple Sage

Zane Grey

let me introduce myself

Hello! My name is Emily Teach, I am currently a sophomore English major but I'd like to eventually go into adolescent education. I just transferred this semester from Buffalo State. I am from the small town of East Aurora, NY, right outside of Buffalo. I'm shy at first but once you get me talking it doesn't stop.

I'm not the kind of person that likes to draw attention to myself.. I like to blend in. People who know me well can always tell what I'm feeling or thinking by my body language. I feel like body language is one of the biggest ways to tell how a person is feeling even if they're saying they feel the complete opposite. For example, when I feel awkward or uncomfortable I cross my arms or play with my hair, just little things like that can give away a person's feelings. Eyes are another important factor of the body. Eyes tell it all and see it all. I don't know how I could ever live without being able to see the beautiful world we live in. My dad has always told me that "you only get one set of eyes, so make sure you take care of them" and it's the truth. Imagine not being able to see everything around you, every little miniscule detail in the world you would miss. "Eyes are the the window to the soul." 

Communication

My name is Kyle Scudder and I am currently a junior studying music performance. I am from Fredonia, NY, which is about zero minutes away. Yeah, I grew up in Fredonia, and I'm still here. It's kind of weird, but totally okay. College has been pretty interesting for me so far. I've realized many things about myself, but also realized I have no "grand plan" for my life. I really just want to not have much of a plan. I just want to get my degree, move somewhere, do cool things, write a book, live, etc.

So how does my body play a role? To sum it up, I use my body as a way to communicate. I talk with my hands. I communicate with facial expressions, how I stand, how I sit, and the way I speak. Music is also a way for me to communicate. For the most part, my hands are the most vital part of my body. My hands, fingers, and arms work together to produce a motion that sends a stick or mallet to strike my instrument. Also, my core and legs are essential for me to keep my balance. Music is extremely active for a percussionist due to the many different instruments we play as well as the different ways we play our instruments.

My body is an outlet for communication, whether it be words, body language, or music.

Myself and Change

       My name is Joe Allison. I'm a senior Philosophy Major with a sociology minor. I am taking this class because I need twelve more credits to graduate. I enjoy reading and discussing books so I was hoping to broaden my horizons in this class. I'm from a small town out side Rochester called Palmyra. The down that is credited in history for creating the Mormon religion. I work two jobs currently, I'm a cashier at Crosby's gas station and I work at the cafes on campus. I'm trying to save money so I can buy a car before I graduate. I am going to move after college and try to find work somewhere. After a year if I am still struggling I'll try to go back to school but for now I need a break from the schoolwork.
         I think I relate to my body because I and my body are always changing. Everyone changes overtime physically and mentally. Whether one likes change or not it happens, it is inevitable. Change seems like it is never a great thing in the moment but without change life would be boring. Change needs to happen in order for life to happen. Next time you change your hair style, or change your mind on whether you like coffee, think that change doesn't have to be terrible. All I can hope for is that I change for the better. Physically, hopefully healthier,  mentally, hopefully wiser.

Just a Little Entry About Myself, as a Person.

I'm Luke Dumke and I'm from Lancaster, one of the suburbs of Buffalo only about an hour down the road from Fredonia. I'm currently a sophomore majoring in Communication Video Production with the intention and hope of getting into a minor of English Writing. I've been a writer for years so I hope to do something along the lines of that in the future. Apart from the smudges of ink on my hands, there really isn't much about my body that could define me as a writer. But I guess all in all, a person's physical appearance can really tell a lot about them to the eyes of someone else.

There are more non-physical traits however about myself that describe me as a person. Aside from the obvious physical appearances, such as weight, hair color and the way ones dresses, I think that one of the bigger things about a person's body that can really define them as to who they are, is just the way they behave. I don't talk out loud all too often, because I'm more of a jot-it-down-on-paper sort of guy. I also have an awful habit of biting my nails which probably comes across to others that I'm constantly a nervous wreck. And another big thing that clearly defines me is just my basic personality.

 I guess one's personality doesn't really show from the outside, but it's all apart of yourself, so I think that my personality is another thing that helps define me through my body. I'm cooperative and although sometimes I don't speak my mind, I find myself open to other peoples' opinions and listen in on them carefully. I try not to slouch because we all know that poor posture is an immediate sign of low confidence and it can even lead to issues down the line. While mentioning the topic about confidence, another part of myself that helps define me as the person I am is my eyes. Learning about communication has taught me many things but one of the most important things is eye contact. So while talking and listening, I keep a firm eye onto the person who is speaking and presenting and I think that helps define me and the ways that I act and behave as a person. Those are just the little things that I tend to notice in myself. Yet as each year progresses I can see myself growing as a person by taking note on my behavior around others and the way I act. And as long as I take care of my body and keep a good attitude about everything, I think I can become a better, more confident person overall.

THE NEXT AFRICAN LEADER

MY NAME IS MICHEAL (PHRESH MIKE)MIREKU AND I'M CURRENTLY A JUNIOR PURSUING A DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. I'M FROM GHANA ,WEST AFRICAN ALSO KNOWN AS ''THE LAND OF GOLD''.BUT I BASE IN THE BRONX . MY FAVORITE HOBBIES ARE PLAYING SOCCER ,FOOTBALL ,TABLE TENNIS ,CHILLING OUT WITH FRIENDS AND TRAVELLING, ALSO THE COOL THING ABOUT ME IS I SPEAK 5(FIVE) DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. HOW MY BODY REFLECTS WHO I AM. I FEEL LIKE AM THE NEXT AFRICAN LEADER ,POWERFUL, INTELLIGENT, AND CAPABLE OF ANYTHING.ALSO THE WAY I DRESSED CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT ME .      . ASHEE !!!!!!

Self

   Hi!! I'm Brea Spinelli. I'm a freshman here at Fredonia and studying Communications specifically public relations. I'm from Albany New York... not a very interesting place haha. That's why being about 6 hours from home was perfect for me. Loving it here at Fredonia so far!
   I honestly don't have very many hobbies or things I'm amazing at, haven't found my hidden talent out just yet at least.Although I do know something that may set me apart from everyone else... Im a extremely caring person. Always have been and always will be. Yes, my body is important to me obviously but my state of mind has always been the most important thing to me! I value my compassion and big heart over any other part of me, its what makes me...me!

My Story

Hello everybody! My name is Ilana Lieberman and I hope this font makes it so that the capital 'I' doesn't look like the lowercase 'l' because people never know how to say my name and that annoys me. Props to you, Professor Mcgee, for getting it right the very first day.
I live in Binghamton, NY so that's four and a half hours away! I actually spent a summer here though for a choral camp, so I'm very used to the campus and it doesn't really feel like college, or at least the expectations of college I used to have. That's okay though.

Anyways, I am a freshman B.F.A. Acting major here at SUNY Fredonia. I also take quite a few dance classes and am thinking of taking up a dance minor. This Spring semester I will be performing in the Fredonia Dance Ensemble later this February and RENT, the musical, in April! You should all come watch. :) This being said, I would have to say that I depend on my body in order to succeed in what I want to pursue in life- the performing arts. I have to stay very healthy in order to sing, act, and dance. I exercise a lot on top of my dancing in order to keep up with stamina and muscular endurance. I also have to stay flexible and make sure that I maintain a good diet and drink lots of water. They say that "abstinence" is the best thing for performers, but not the kind that you're probably all thinking of. The abstinence I refer to means refraining from drinking alcohol in excess and eating lots of junk food, which pretty much goes hand-in-hand on the weekends (ha Calios haha). But anyways, I do consider my body a huge part of my life. I identify with my body completely because I feel that performing is a huge part of my life, and I absolutely need to keep my body in great shape for that.

All About Me (Rianna Seelig)

Hello, my name is Rianna. I am a sophomore English major with a minor in Writing. Although I have made it a point to engross myself in literature and all of its facets (including the love of writing that often comes along with it) for what seems to be my entire life, I am often caught off guard by certain requests from the professors here at SUNY Fredonia. I will admit I did not expect to ever be describing the importance of my body concerning the person I am (a sort of reverse character analysis on myself). However, I am willing to try, and am oddly intrigued by the assignment. So, here we go...

I have never been one to outwardly draw attention to myself. I am always walking as though there is something urgent I am on my way to do, even if this is not the case, often frustrated by those who walk at a leisurely pace. Arriving to my destination on time has always been important to me, and you will always find me walking with a determined expression on my face, my arms firmly at my side with my shoulders tensed. I slouch ever so slightly when sitting, never due to laziness or inattentiveness (well, okay, maybe sometimes it is...), I just enjoy being comfortable; it helps me concentrate.

I can be antsy. I shift my weight when speaking to people, bounce my feet when sitting through lectures, crack my neck, crack my knuckles, stretch... I like to keep my blood flowing. If appropriate, I usually will have one of my feet on my chair, tucked under the other leg, with a bit of a slouch going on. I like feeling a little more laid back in learning environments. That is not to say I am never stressed-quite the contrary. More often than not I am stressed. I am always chipping my nail polish off, or just doing fidgety things with my hands in general. I am always very aware of my hands; I like having something to hold all the time. Cups of tea or coffee, a pen, a water bottle... just something solid to grasp, something to entertain my hands for extended periods of time. I write constantly (I prefer the traditional pen and paper), so my hands play a big role in how I express myself, a much bigger role than I tend to remember. In addition to all of this, my roots are Italian; it is physically impossible for me to carry on a conversation without large, exaggerated, dramatic hand gestures.

I would attribute an even greater form of expression involving my body to my skin. That is to say, I would attribute it to the skin I have purposefully altered. I have a few tattoos, and don't plan on stopping any time soon. My tattoos are a direct expression of the things I think, feel, believe... I love them. I use tattoos to express myself constantly. This may be too specific, however, it was the first thing I thought of when this assignment was announced. My body allows me to express the millions of thoughts and feelings that are going through my head at all times, and I am very grateful to be able to call this body my own.

My Story

Hello everyone! My name is Dino Salkic and I'm currently in my last semester as a Biochemistry major. Over the years I've changed majors several times and contemplated different career paths. I've always been enthralled with science and technology, and to be a part of the fast paced world we live in today just adds to that excitement. There has always been a part of me that has been especially amazed with medicine. I find the meticulous nature of the job and the continued dedication that a career in medicine requires to be both challenging and welcoming to me as an individual. I therefore plan on attending medical school after graduation.

Even though medicine is my passion now, soccer has always been an incredible and constant part of my life. I see my feet and legs in a different light than most people because they have allowed me the opportunity to do something that I have loved my entire life. My ability to play has given me something to bond over with my dad and provided me my own little oasis and getaway. School, as everybody knows, can be beyond stressful at times and everyone needs some way to forget about things for a while. Running and working out is the way I can escape if I feel the need to. I've always done both of these to improve in soccer, and now that my playing career is over, I still enjoy a good run and work out here and there to focus my mind on something else. It's important to have some sort of stress relief.

My legs, most of all, are an integral part of my body that I feel have shaped me as a person. It takes dedication to play soccer throughout your life and into college. You constantly have to improve to beat out the next guy, and I've taken this dedication into my studies and pursuit of a medical career. To be successful you have to have confidence, and I've realized that your body language has a lot to do with how people view you. As a doctor you want to convey your confidence to your patients through a firm handshake or body posture, for example. I now take this into mind on a daily basis and try to convey my confidence to people, which I can do to a significant extent using my body language alone. If I plan on pursuing a career as a surgeon, for example, my hands will have obvious significance to me. Any career in medicine, though, will require meticulous work with my hands. The way I am perceived by others, the way I get away when I need to, and the career I choose one day are all driven by my body and its components. It has shaped who I am and will continue to do so in the future.

About Me

My name is Lauren Voelkle. I was raised in Marilla, NY, right outside of Buffalo, but I've been living year-round in Fredonia for the last two years. I am a senior Psychology major and minoring in English (possibly Women & Gender Studies soon), although, I will be returning in the fall for my last semester in order to graduate in December. I've been a member of S.T.E.P.S. since my freshmen year. You may have seen me in previous Summer Orientation sessions...feel free to say Hi or ask me any questions! :)

Ever since preschool, one of the most noticeable things about me was my height. I was usually the tallest girl in my class, but the height difference quickly diminished when I entered high school. It is both a blessing and a curse- I can play a lot of sports, but I am also terribly clumsy. Sometimes I wish I was shorter, but I've realized being tall isn't so bad. My friends even made up a nickname for me- Long Legs. Also, my legs help me travel well. I can walk fast, reach my car pedals easily, and hike/climb with confidence. My parents live in Pittsburgh, my sister lives in Seattle, and my brother lives in Buffalo, so I am constantly traveling around alone to visit them. I mean, who is going to mess with a tall girl like me? Just kidding, but I now know self-defense, thanks to SUNY Fredonia's awesome class (which I highly recommend). Good luck to all this semester!

Self-Portrait

Hi!
When I first read over the definition of this class in the syllabus it seemed very odd to me.  I've never really thought a lot about bodily actions in narratives.  Once I think about it the concept makes a ton of sense, body language is a huge factor in determining someones character.  I think for me my most pronounced body part is my hands, hands are the most important part of the body.  What is a person without their hands?   Hands are used in just about everything from doing the dishes to texting your hands are your best friend.  The most important thing about my hands is writing.  I love writing and typing fiction stories.  My hands are the ones that make sure what I think gets down on the paper.  When my brain is all jumbled sometimes i just let my hands keep going and turn my mind off for a second.  It really helps clear writers block and even relieves stress.  It's amazing everything your hands go through and still they dont wear down and break.  In a lot of ways the shape, color and texture of your hands tells a story about you.  Where you've been, or even what you like to do.  I dont know if anyone else knows how important their hands are but if you just think about how you use your hands in a day it might surprise you.

Victoria  

Self

Hi everyone!

My name is Karie King. I live in Mayville, NY which is about 30 minutes from Fredonia.  If you have been to Chautauqua Institution some of you may have heard of it before.  I have lived in the same house all my life. Anyways, I am a senior and I graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.  

Our bodies distinguish us as an individual. Personally, I think my eyes and hands shows my identity. My eyes see the world. I love to travel. I have been many places in the world including Montana, Hawaii, on cruises, and Florida just to name a few.  I am a hands on learner.  For accounting you use your hands to calculate different numbers. You have to make sure assets plus liabilities equal owners equity otherwise you have to find where you have an error.

Personality is another way that makes people different from everyone else. I am shy when I am around a large group of people.  Once you get to know me and I am comfortable with you I open up to you. Everyone one is different which makes all of us unique individuals.

~Karie King ~

Maria Freda

Hi, my name is Maria Freda and I am freshman liberal arts major. I don't have any idea about what I want to do with the rest of my life and I think thats okay. I am from Buffalo, New York and I went to Williamsville North High School. I am very family orientated which, I think, has shaped who I am as a person. I have a stronger personality and I will stick up for what I think is right. I am also a very loyal person and I will do anything for my friends and loved ones.

I also enjoy reading, writing, and performing. Due to this, I think my lips and mouth are how my body relates to my identity. I was apart of the theater company, Academy of Theater Arts, for seven years and I was also involved with my school's musical and chorus department. At my theater company, I was able to dance, sing, and act by expressing my body. Dancing and acting use all of your body parts to convey a message to your audience. My favorite aspect of performing, however, was being able to sing. I need my mouth and lips to be able to do this and I think they relate to my identity because I use singing as a way to express myself. If you hear me singing a sad tune to myself it is my way of working out a hard situation. If I am upbeat and humming I am in a good mood and I want others to feel the same way. I also use my hands to write songs and poems. Well, that's just a little bit about me, can't wait to get to know all of you!

Self Portrait

Hi! I'm Chelsea Ottman, and I'm a junior Childhood Education Major with an English concentration. My birthday is February 10th and I'm turning 21! I'm from Oswego, NY so I'm very used to all of the snow. My hometown gets a lot of it. I want to move down south once I graduate from Fredonia, but I do plan on going on to get my Masters degree so that depends on where I decide to go for grad school.

I think that my fingers, my eyes and my face as a whole are the most important parts of my body. I use those to express myself the most. I've played the violin since I was 8 years old and I continued to play in an orchestra all the way up to my senior year. Since college started, I don't have time to play my violin on a regular basis, but I do pick it up and play every once in a while. The fingers are the most important part of being a violinist. We use our fingers to tune our strings using the pegs and the fine tuners, to play notes, to control our bows on the strings, to rosin our bows so that they slide across the strings well, and to turn the pages in our music. Our eyes are also important because we use them to read the music and to see our instrument and what we are supposed to play. Lastly, we use our face as a way to show emotion while we are playing a piece. Depending on the piece that we are playing, our expressions will change to match the mood of the piece of music.

Self Portrait

Hi! My name is Halie Degnan. I grew up in Jamestown, NY, which is about forty five minutes away from Fredonia. I'm a Freshman English major and I hope to have a minor in writing eventually. I used to play the violin and the piano. I played soccer for a while and I ran track. I love to read and write but none of the body parts used for those activities really felt like they defined who I am as a person.

I've noticed that as I get older the decisions I have to make get more difficult. A big part of who I am choosing to be comes from those decisions and I realized that sometimes it is good to go with your gut feeling. So the body part that defines me would be my heart. I like to think that it is important to make choices in life based on the things that make you happy. I've been trying to sort out the details from what I feel is right. My decision to go to college at SUNY Fredonia was one that opened my eyes to a choice where I would use my heart instead of my head. I think making choices based on a feeling can be good and even important sometimes.

I think the ways I am feeling show in the ways that I act and that my heart has played a huge role in deciding who I aspire to be.

-Halie Degnan