Voices from the margins
Guiding Questions
Credits to my excellent teammate, Caitlin for completing some parts of this resource!
Credits to my excellent teammate, Caitlin for completing some parts of this resource!
- How might literature help us understand the experience of marginalised groups?
- It is in the pages of a book that the joys of a new world can be explored, or the flaws of an old world exposed. It is in literature that we often find sympathy and even empathy for characters who might be experiencing the worst of events. Marginalised groups often experience such types of events in their lives, so putting it on literature allows it to become known amongst the populace.
- Should marginalised writers strive to be accepted by mainstream critics? Or should they focus on their own audiences?
- A mix of both. Marginalised writers obviously have their own goals when it comes to whom they wish to reach out to and be accepted by. Mainstream critics are sort of a complement to the authors, if a notable person or organisation (such as a newspaper or journal) notices the work, then that helps it achieve further popularity. Most marginalised writers should strive to reach their own audiences and create the change they’re supposed to.
- Explore the idea of a literary canon. Who created the list of literary works that everyone is expected to study? What voices, if any, do you think are underrepresented in this list?
- The idea of a literary canon dates back to 1890s America and later 1900s England. Both countries believed it was necessary to force students to study a series of books (a “canon”) in order to understand the influence and importance those books had during their time period. Modern literary canons are often introduced at higher areas of learning, usually in secondary rather than elementary school. The list of literary works that people are expected to study are often changing, with the IB school system changing theirs every 8 years with the usual course reform. American education focuses mostly on the works of the nation (as is the driving force behind many other literary canons), so the government and federal authorities have a say in what goes into the canon. As always, some voices are shunned more than others. Hardly any American school children will read a book written about the torture of slaves in Colonial History, nor will they see the Russian and Vietnamese (or Korean) side of the Cold War. In fact the latter area is so shunned in literary works that the Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War” because of how few Americans actually know of it.
- Should the canon be updated, or should the very idea of a canon be scrapped?
- Since literature or other english studies in many schools rely on the existence of such a canon, simply scrapping them is not going to work. Instead, it is necessary to update the canon to represent the history (or indeed the movement) it wishes to voice. Instead of simply focusing on the national point of view regarding an event (i.e British books about the empire they once controlled), schools and governments should update their canon to include other points of view too; even if those points of view can be slightly negative (i.e the oppression that Indians faced under the British rule).
- Discuss with your team: as more marginalised voices take their place in the list of works we study in school, how should we decide which traditionally studied works to remove to make space for them?
- Well aren’t we combining history and literature together quite a lot here? As more marginalised voices rise to the popularity and prestige that earns them a right to be in canon, we often have difficulty accepting them in such canon. It is probably better to remove traditional works whose messages are outdated or have been poured over too much by students.
- Are modern critics overcompensating by finding too much value in works by members of marginalised communities?
- Certainly not. Though there are a large number of modern critics who are lavishing praise upon praise for works by marginalised authors, that praise is well-justified. Consider that these authors not only had to write a book about their lives, they also had to have the courage to speak up about the prejudice and injustice they faced. Any book by a marginalised author is well-worth the praise for just existing.
- Are today’s films and television series doing more to perpetuate or to change the perception of marginalised groups? Do their creators have a responsibility to do one or the other?
- The films and television series of today serve both purposes. Whilst some do perpetuate the perception of marginalised groups, others (usually the more positively reviewed ones) tend to change the perception for the better. As for which one is the duty of the creators, it really depends on the vision that they have. Of course a historical film about the treatment of black people in America needs to perpetuate the perception that they were horribly treated for centuries, whilst a fictional film about a black person trying to become a doctor in 1960s America can change our perception by presenting a marginalized person in an unlikely scenario.
- alternate names for black boys | Danez Smith
- This poem has a rather interesting spin. The names that Danez Smith presents aren’t so much actual names like “Henry” or “Jessica”, rather they symbolise what black boys have been. For example, “first son of soil” represents that these coloured people were initially what all humans were. The names send a general message that black people have been downtrodden and shunned for their roles in society, something we should instead be celebrating and respecting.
- Crusoe in England | Elizabeth Bishop
- Cleverly disguised within a seemingly normal (albeit lengthy) poem about Robinson Crusoe upon his return to civilisation; is a double narrative about the marginalised role of being a creative poet. Elizabeth Bishop using “hissing volcanoes”, “craters” and “left-over clouds” to describe the difficult and often depressing parts of being a writer. Yet when creativity does hit, it can flow like “colourful lava” until it all runs out.
- Goodbye, Sancho Panza | Justin Hamm
- Ah Don Quixote, that gallivanting Spanish knight with delusions of grandeur. Accompanying him on his route is on his faithful (and somewhat chubby) squire Sancho Panza, who adds comments known as Sanchismos. These comments are a combination of broad humour, ironic Spanish proverbs and earthy wit. Justin Hamm allows this style to come into its own in a modern interpretation of Sancho Panza.
- Min Nong | Li Shen (Caitlin H Dixon)
- Min Nong is a Tang dynasty poem written by author Li Shen (李绅). It follows the Wu Yan Jue Shi (五言绝诗) poetry style. The original version of the poem has a total of four lines, each line of the poem has 5 words. The author uses simple and plain vocabulary to describe how tough it is for farmers to work under the scorching sun and thus we should all treasure the food we have.
- 悯农(唐家盈):《悯农》这首诗是唐代李绅写的。这首诗是一首五言绝诗,总共有四行,每行有五个字。第一,二 和四行的最后一字是押韵的,它押得是韵母“u” 声,分别是“午”、“土” 和 “苦”。作者用了浅白易懂的文字来描述一个在烈日当空辛劳工作的农民的情况,他用力地用锄头来松土,而大滴的汗珠不停的滴在泥土上。最后两行强调我们要珍惜食物因为得来不易,原因就是农民辛勤耕种我们才有米饭吃。这首诗是家喻户晓的诗。而且,长辈常常在饭桌上告诉子女要把米饭吃光,不要浪费一粒米饭。
- Ode on a Grecian Urn | John Keats
- Look up John Keats in a poet catalogue and you’ll probably find the word “romantic” under his name. John Keats was an English poet who was inspired by his own lust for immortality to pen this ode. Of the 5 that he wrote, the Romantics continue to believe this was the best of them. Sadly, Keats would never see his odes widely loved, the young poet dying due to tuberculosis at the age of 25. “Ode on a Grecian Urn” was written in 1819, the year he contracted the disease and as such was inspired to address immortality. In it, the speaker is talking and looking at a greek urn (a sort of fancy, slim vase that was highly prized in Ancient times). On the urn are intricate designs depicting scenes from life, where the figures are frozen in antiquity and forced to live the same moment in perpetuity. He remarks on the naked men and women running around (likely a sex scene) and the young man attempting to woo a young woman with his musical abilities (she’ll never get old, so take solace in the fact you can play for her forever).
- My Shoes | Charles Simic
- Charles Simic compares his shoes as being a reflection of his own life. He finds in them the spirits of his deceased brother and sister, who likely owned the shoes before passing them down to him. He finds the marks of his history and a reflection of who he is.
- The New Colossus | Emma Lazarus
- The “Colossus” that Emma Lazarus refers to in this poem is none other than the Statue of Liberty. This is characterised by her describing it as “a mighty woman, with a torch” and that Lady Liberty is the beacon for those “huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,” This poem likely represents the hope and welcome that the shores of America must’ve been to the huddled masses who once sought the fortune and life it promised.
- The Octopus | Ogden Nash
- By far the shortest poem on this list (only taking up 4 lines), The Octopus by Ogden Nash simply remarks on the mystery of the Octopus’ tentacles. The narrator asks if they are “legs or arms” and that if he were an octopus, he’d call himself us. This might mean that the narrator considers the Octopus a living community within itself, with its tentacles each having their own conscious and treatment (much like our own society).
- The Raven | Edgar Allan Poe (Caitlin H Dixon)
- The Raven, a gothic poem by Edgar Allan Poe is about an unnamed narrator who tries to read on a cold December night intending to rid his sorrow over the death of his beloved “Lenore”. Suddenly a “nevermore” croaking raven enters his house and sits upon the bust of Pallas. There are many themes explored in this poem such as grief, negativity, depression, death, loneliness and the supernatural. The themes of the supernatural can be explored through the interaction between the narrator and the raven, grief, negativity, depression, death, and loneliness can be seen from the narrator’s pain and longing over his deceased beloved “Lenore”.
- The Tyger | William Blake
- Chances are you’ve heard the opening lines of this one: “Tyger Tyger, burning bright/In the forests of the night;”. The Tyger was published by English poet William Blake in 1794 as part of his Songs of Experience collection. Many call it the most famous of his poems and it is likely one of if not the most anthologised works in British poetry. The Tyger speaks about a questioner who wonders what force would have dared to make a creature with such perfect duality: aesthetic beauty but also primal ferocity. “The Lamb” mentioned in the poem refers to the sister poem of this one by the same name, in which William Blake argues that in order to fully see the person whose hand made the Tyger, they must also see the hand that created the Lamb.
- the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border | William Stafford
- In this somewhat cynical poem by William Stafford, the trivial nature of national monuments are explored. In it, Stafford poses a place where “the grass joined hands” despite it being a place where “no monument stands”. He comments on how this is where “the battle did not happen” or “where the unknown soldier did not die”. Yet despite all the peace that characterises this place, we humans “celebrate it by forgetting its name”. It is somewhat sad that we do not place monuments where humans have yet to unleash their destructive nature, instead we put up great structures where blood was split and humans lives sacrificed.
- Those Who Do Not Dance | Gabriela Mistral
- A heartwarming poem that also focuses somewhat on a few marginalised groups. “Those Who Do Not Dance” is a piece of literature about finding different ways to express yourselves when biology or fate does not allow you to do it in the conventional way. A crippled child unable to dance is told to let their heart dance, the invalid who cannot sing is told to let their heart sing, the poor dead thistle unable to dance is told to let their heart fly to the wind. The final stanza is perhaps the most inspiring, where the entire valley dances in joy under the sun; while those who do not join in have their hearts turned to dust. It might serve as a call for action, we humans need to include those who might not be capable of the same things as us, for the entire world will be much happier then.
- What Kind of Asian Are You? | Alex Dang
- What a most interesting spoken poetry clip. In this clip, Alex Dang slams out a few stanzas about the marginalisation of Asians in American society and how disgusted he is at it. He speaks of Asian stereotypes all mashed into one “culture” and that somehow that’s meant to assimilate all Asian immigrants into American culture. He speaks of the stereotypes Americans don’t want to hear, like how the derogatory terms for Asians first emerged in their slavery to Americans and their corpses mauled by American troops. It is no surprise that in America, Asians have been marginalised heavily, never once featured as the main role in any event and always sidelined or even antagonised.
- White Boy Time Machine: Override | Hieu Minh Nguyen
- In this short yet curt poem, Hieu Minh Nguyen once agains speaks about the marginalisation of Asians and specifically the Vietnamese by Americans. He tells of how every place visited is a white man describing the landscape so they can conquer it. The beautiful poem about his childhood village in Vietnam is also described in such a way, with the recent news of a child dying after stepping on a landmine, or how the trees were described as fire (likely from the napalm the Americans dropped in the tonnes). In recounts of the Vietnam war, we don’t often hear about the countless innocent Vietnamese villages trapped between the two sides and devastated by both. The Americans and “whites” have also managed to nullify their voice and marginalise their culture.
- Film | Hidden Figures
- An excellent film that I wholeheartedly recommend you watch in your spare time, Hidden Figures tells the true story of three African-American NASA employees as they struggle to achieve their dreams and aspirations in apartheid America. While the majority of the film focuses on the struggle of human computer Katherine Goble, who works as part of Al Harrison Space Task Group; it also focuses on her two colleagues and close friends: unofficial acting-supervisor Dorothy Vaughan and aspiring engineer Mary Jackson. Throughout her work on the Mercury 7 and subsequently Friendship 7 space programs, Katherine is shunned by other members of her group. Since all of her colleagues are white males, it’s not surprising that she receives some racial treatment (i.e receiving a less advanced, separate coffee maker and having to walk 800 meters to the nearest coloured bathroom). Dorothy Vaughan is kicked out of a library while attempting to learn Fortran, the language used by new IBM computers on the NASA base. Mary Jackson fights to win the privilege of achieving an engineering degree at an all-white school. Hidden Figures is perfect for those wishing to learn about how individual black women during apartheid America were able to rise above the racial barriers and achieve great things.
- B (If I Should Have a Daughter) | Sarah Kay
- Honestly, this TED Talk given by spoken word poet Sarah Kay is amazing and you’d better give it a watch yourself. In this poem presented at TED2011, Sarah Kay speaks of how she’ll raise a daughter and serve the mother-teacher relationship perfectly. She does use a few funny (but certainly not cheesy) tips for how to raise a child, but in just over 3 minutes she addresses all the major aspects her girl will need to overcome in life (read: heartbreak, love and strength).
- Dandelions | Clayton Valli
- Rather interesting as a video, since Dr. Clayton Valli doesn’t actually use any words throughout this poem. “Dandelions” is an American Sign Language poem that uses the extended analogy of dandelions to deaf people. Like how we try and rip Dandelions out from the ground, we’ve been trying to eliminate deaf people by banning sign language and other efforts. Yet despite all this, the dandelion lives on and remains natural and beautiful. Likewise, sign language and people who use it carry on, persisting with their lives despite the cruelty they face.
- Life of a Perfectionist | Libby Scott
- Libby Scott takes the prize for youngest writer on this list. At 10 years of age, the daughter of Kym Scott has been diagnosed with autism and is also a perfectionist. In this beautiful text that Libby typed out, she describes life through the eyes of a perfectionist. She is reluctant to get out of bed to rearrange her candles, she writes a letter to Taylor Swift (and gets a reply) that her song doesn’t have precisely 100 words, she even attempts to tell the lifeguard at her local swimming pool that he isn’t eating skittles in the right order (not to great reception). We don’t often consider perfectionists as marginalized, but they can be shunned from society because of how they can’t adapt to its imperfections. Instead we as society should try and see the world from their point of view and listen to their thoughts whenever they dare to speak out.
- On Middle School Misery | John Green
- An eye-opening experience, in 3 minutes on a train in New York, John Green tells the story of his Middle School years and how his bullying made him open his eyes to the ridiculous notion that those years don’t need to be the best of your life. He talks of how other nerds, kind strangers and his parents would support him through those miserable years and allow him to survive that ordeal. To quote the quote he used: “The only way out, is through” (Robert Frost, American poet).
- The Giving Tree | Shel Silverstein
- A heartwarming story of how nature (and as an extension, others) can provide all we need and never once ask for anything in exchange. The Giving Tree tells the story of a mighty apple tree and a young boy, as the boy grows old, the tree often finds that her once highly valued whole is needed in its parts. Whereas once the boy loves to climb the trunk, swing from the branches and eat the apples; he later finds a need to sell the apples, cut off the branches and use the trunk as a boat. In the end, the boy (now a very old man) comes back to find the tree reduced to a mere stump, but finds that it will do perfectly for a nice rest.
- (Inspiration from Caitlin H. Dixon): As a slightly more cynical note, literary critics have also considered this book to be a hidden message about human selfishness and how we humans only appeal to the natural world (the tree in this case) for our gain. It should also be noted that this book was banned for a brief period in 1988 because it was considered “sexist” and was also “criminalising the foresting agency”. Seems like the Colorado schooling took more than a bit of offence at the bold negative message of the book.
- Fitting In | Max Gladstone
- Part of the Wild Cards universe, “Fitting In” tells the story of Robin Ruttiger, a super-powered person who has tried to fit in, but constantly finds life is throwing him fastballs. As a failed contestant of the superhero reality TV show American Hero, Robin has the ability to make his body elastic; stretching or compressing like elastigirl from Incredibles. Life now finds him as a humble high school guidance counselor, without many students to guide albeit. Yet when his favourite bakery in Jokertown becomes the target of vandalism (an elaborate real estate scheme in reality), he finds a use for coming out and utilising his superpowers to protect his friends. The situation faced by Robin is not uncommon to those faced by people in society; a person with great powers (be it increased intellect or physical strength), shunned because they see no need to “stand out” from the others or have attention drawn to them. We shouldn’t be marginalising those with greater powers, we should be trying to open our arms to them and make room for their enhanced abilities.
- Invisible Man (Prologue & Chapter 1) | Ralph Ellison
- The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a rather eye-opening novel published in 1952, just prior to the period of Apartheid in America. It addresses many of the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans in the 20th century, along with how their “black nationalism” can often have many different layers. The book tells the story of one unnamed black man (possibly an attempt by Ellison to appeal to all black men) and his adventures through life. His living conditions are squalid, his education sabotaged by white teachers and his job taken away thanks to racism. After being hospitalized from a boiler explosion (which was caused thanks to his boss), the narrator is brought in by a kind old lady named Mary Rambo. During his time under her rent, the narrator accidentally riles up a black crowd at an eviction to attack the enforcement officers. In subsequent chapters, the narrator joins the “Brotherhood”, but later finds that they don’t really care so much about the rights of black people. The book ends with the narrator stating that he is ready to come out of hiding and return to the world, having told his story to provide a voice for people with similar plights.
- Lorry Raja | Madhuri Vijay
- This short story by Madhuri Vijay talks about how an empowering job can create even more marginalisation. Yet the person with the job is also marginalised. In the story the older brother named Siju receives a job as a lorry driver. This makes his behaviour change significantly, treating his brothers and sisters (even his father) with disdain and selfishness. He believes he is a king (or Indian “Raja”) among his siblings because of his newly acquired job, even though he’s “only paid half a regular driver’s salary”. For a child labourer at the age of 14, this is an event that should never need to happen. Siju’s siblings and friends should all be at school with him, not working some dangerous and unsuitable job at a mine.
- St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves | Karen Russell
- An interesting text that reflects the plights of girls in school (and even in everyday life), Karen Russell writes about a wolf-girl named Claudette who along with her other wolf-girl friends, attends a reformatory school run by nuns in order to assimilate them into human culture. The book first explores the “us vs. them” relationship, with the wolf-girls having been separated from the “purebreds” during birth. Throughout the schooling, there is also the theme of self-esteem and the delicate balance that the girls wish to maintain. They don’t want to be seen as too perfect or too terrible (much like many girls at school). The portrayal of gender is also evident here, with the girls being depicted as emotionally unstable whilst the boys are depicted as calm and collected (a stereotype commonly applied to schoolgirls). Overall, Karen Russell wrote this story to send a message about how we shouldn’t marginalise or stereotype girls during their education so that we completely transform their lifestyle. Instead we should learn to accept them for who they are and let them choose what girl they wish to be.
- The Bicentennial Man | Isaac Asimov
- Ah Isaac Asimov; the man, the writer, the legend himself. Though the World Scholar’s Cup has a trophy named after him, The Bicentennial Man is quite unlike any work of his previously included in the syllabus. “The Bicentennial Man” is a novelette in the “Robot” series by Asimov and was awarded the Hugo and Nebula awards for “best science-fiction novelette” in 1976. It tells the heartbreaking and inspiring story of a robot named Andrew Martin. The story begins with Andrew requesting an operation from a robotic surgeon, but he is initially denied the operation because it violates the First Law of Robotics (robots may not harm humans). Andrew however, begins to tell his story of how he is not a human. 200 years earlier, he comes into the service of a human master; one Gerald Martin (referred to as “sir). While carving a wooden pendant for Martin’s daughter, Little Miss, Andrew reveals his skill and creativity (two traits robots were not meant to possess). Over the next 2 centuries, Andrew begins to become more human; wearing clothes and even inserting a self-invented digestion system in order to eat. During this time, the family he once served comes and goes, with Little Miss bearing a son called George (otherwise known as Little Sir) and George later having a son called Paul. With each human companion, Andrew fights for the rights of his robot brethren. He then makes the ultimate decision, having the World Legislature call him a man. In order to do so, he develops multiple prosthetics and even arranges for the fatal operation he came to do in the first chapter. His positronic brain will be altered to that, like a human’s, it decays with time. He lies on his deathbed having accomplished the greatest goal: the president of the World Legislature signs a document officially calling him “The Bicentennial Man” as he dies.
- The story is an insight into the world of robots; whose role is getting increasingly important in our society. We don’t quite marginalise robots, but perhaps there will be a time when we consider these machines as subservient to humans (cue android apocalypse).
- Ah Isaac Asimov; the man, the writer, the legend himself. Though the World Scholar’s Cup has a trophy named after him, The Bicentennial Man is quite unlike any work of his previously included in the syllabus. “The Bicentennial Man” is a novelette in the “Robot” series by Asimov and was awarded the Hugo and Nebula awards for “best science-fiction novelette” in 1976. It tells the heartbreaking and inspiring story of a robot named Andrew Martin. The story begins with Andrew requesting an operation from a robotic surgeon, but he is initially denied the operation because it violates the First Law of Robotics (robots may not harm humans). Andrew however, begins to tell his story of how he is not a human. 200 years earlier, he comes into the service of a human master; one Gerald Martin (referred to as “sir). While carving a wooden pendant for Martin’s daughter, Little Miss, Andrew reveals his skill and creativity (two traits robots were not meant to possess). Over the next 2 centuries, Andrew begins to become more human; wearing clothes and even inserting a self-invented digestion system in order to eat. During this time, the family he once served comes and goes, with Little Miss bearing a son called George (otherwise known as Little Sir) and George later having a son called Paul. With each human companion, Andrew fights for the rights of his robot brethren. He then makes the ultimate decision, having the World Legislature call him a man. In order to do so, he develops multiple prosthetics and even arranges for the fatal operation he came to do in the first chapter. His positronic brain will be altered to that, like a human’s, it decays with time. He lies on his deathbed having accomplished the greatest goal: the president of the World Legislature signs a document officially calling him “The Bicentennial Man” as he dies.
- The Ugly Duckling | Hans Christian Andersen
- (Caitlin H Dixon): The ugly duckling is a short story by the author Hans Christian Andersen is a tale many of us grew up hearing. The story is about a swan egg that ends up in the nest of duck eggs when the swan hatches he is constantly ridiculed by his “siblings” on his looks and goes searching for his “true” family. Towards the end of the story, the ugly duckling transforms into a beautiful swan. The moral of the story is: Don’t judge a book by its cover/ You cannot judge a person by outward appearance. The other ducks and animals ridicule the ugly duckling for his appearance, but after he grew up he became a beautiful swan.
- The Yellow Wallpaper | Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- One of the older pieces of work on this list, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story written in 1892 by Charlotte Perkins Gilman for The New England Magazine. Regarded as one of the earliest and most important works in American feminist literature, “The Yellow Wallpaper” illustrates the mental and physical health of women in the late 19th century as well as the negative attitudes toward them. The story is composed of several journal entries, made by an unnamed women whose husband John is a physician. It details this woman’s descent into madness while spending summer at a “rest cure” mansion. The room that they reside in was likely once a nursery room, deduced from the torn wallpaper and scratched floor. Throughout the entries, the woman continues to describe the wallpaper in an increasingly cynical manner. She cites it as having a “yellow” smell and “breakneck” pattern, as well as having missing patches and yellowing the skin of anyone who touches it. She comes to later believe that a woman is creeping on all fours behind the pattern, and that it is her duty to free this woman from her prison. The final day in the house provides the climax of the story, where John returns to a locked bedroom door; only to find his wife creeping on all fours trying to strip the rest of the wallpaper down. He then proceeds to faint, with the wife exclaiming: I've got out at last,...in spite of you and Jane?”. Having morphed into the personification of the women trapped underneath the wallpaper.
- Many believe that Gilman wrote this piece as a way to voice the roles of women in the 19th century. Medical, professional and even societal opinions on them portray women as fragile and unstable creatures who require lots of attention. This inhibits the role of women in society, forcing many to stay at home for the vast majority of their lives and become subservient to a male-dominated society. Indeed in some areas of the world, woman still have some remnant of this lifestyle, with a society of males oppressing them unjustly.
- Walden (Part 1, Chapter 1) | Henry David Thoreau
- Henry David Thoreau, arguably one of the most famous names in American literature; pens an interesting book about his retreat to nature. The first chapter, Economy, details his project of retreat and self-discovery. He will spend two years, two months and two days at a "tightly shingled and plastered" 10 x 15 English-style cottage in the woods near Walden Pond (a lake in Massachusetts). He does this to explore the benefits of a simplified lifestyle (contrary to the popular belief at the time that more in life means a better life). He is given the four basic necessities (shelter, food, water and fuel) with the help of family and friends (most notably his mother and the Emmerson couple, who provided the land upon which his cottage lies). Throughout the project, Thoreau records meticulously his economic spending, concluding with a total expenditure of $28.125 for a home and freedom. At the end of the chapter, Thoreau inserts a poem from English poet Thomas Carew called “The Pretensions of Poverty”. It criticises those who believe that their poverty gives them an unearned moral and intellectual superiority. Much of the chapter focuses on Thoreau protecting his ideas from the local townsfolk, who believe that society (not nature) is the only proper place to live.
- This book shines a light on those marginalised people who wish to detach themselves from society and return to the roots from which we humans came from. It is not in bustling megacities or high-rise homes that we find materialistic happiness, but instead in the peace of nature and the company of friends that we find spiritual enlightenment.
- For each of the occupations listed below, consider its role in producing a work. Should they receive credit similar to that awarded to authors, actors, or directors?
- copyeditor | proofreader | publicist | literary agent | critic | producer
- Copyeditor: Commonly used interchangeably with the proofreader, copyeditors go about reading pieces of media (be it a book, movie script or TV plot) and make sure that the content is correct. This includes the grammar, spelling, style, punctuation and transitions before publishing.
- Proofreader: Proofreading is slightly less of a role than copyediting and is more applicable to books. Just before a book goes into printing and mass-publication, the proofreader looks over for typographical errors instead of grammatical ones. This includes minor text errors, formatting and page numbering to ensure that the material is ready for publication.
- Publicist: Exactly what it says: publicist are those hired and paid to spread the public popularity of a book, film or other piece of media. These people can range from local, national and international levels as well as what methods they use (i.e press publicists use the newspapers to generate hype, whilst unit publicists work on making the public aware of a certain phase of filming). It is thanks to the publicist that press releases can be, well.. released to the general public in order to inform them about upcoming movies, books and other media.
- Literary Agent: Author and publisher often butt heads with one another, or don’t even acknowledge the existence of the other. This is where a literary agent comes into play, this person is responsible for the representation of a writer (or even a group in certain cases) and their written works to publishers. Unlike publicists, they aren’t paid a fixed fee, rather they take a percentage of the earnings from sales of their client’s work. Literary agents normally work for novelists, screenwriters and non-fiction writers to ensure good relations with publishers, contracts written in good form and royalty payments adhered to.
- Critic: The work of a critic is rather self-explanatory, they read or watch a piece of media and give an opinion about it. Often critics can range from individuals broadcasting their voices on YouTube, to critics who work for newspaper and other companies. The BBC and The Guardian have their own team of critics, dedicated to writing up reviews on particularly hyped-about films or other pieces of work. It is thanks to the critic that pieces of media can either soar (i.e box office ticket sales with movies and readership with books) or absolutely flop. In an age where these activities are often more affordable to the general populace, critics are less important for deciding whether we should spend the money and time to watch something. Even though a critic might say a movie is horrible, its fans might say it’s amazing (and vice versa).
- stage manager | set designers | stagehand | casting director | dramaturge
- Stage manager: Where the director adds vision to a play, the stage manager adds structure. Unfortunately when it comes to theatrical roles, I am somewhat forced to hand this over to websites which provide greater detail. I have only watched a single play in my entire life and I will be frank in that it was the most painful experience I have had the displeasure to sit through. Stage managers work in tandem with the director, often serving as a liaison between them and all the other departments of a production, from the actors to the lighting crews to the costume designers. Here are a list of some of their duties:
- schedule and running rehearsals
- communicate the director's wishes to designers and craftspeople
- coordinate the work of the stage crew
- call cues and possibly actors' entrances during performance
- oversee the entire show each time it is performed
- Set designers: Whenever a movie or a play cannot use a real life location (understandable seeing as few city mayors will let you blow up their natural land in the interest of cinematography), then the set designers are called in. These people are responsible for creating backdrops, settings and even stage prop placements that will see extensive use. Often times actors will interact with sets or simply have some dialogue in them. Set designers often get their praise through critics, with many notable sets being praised for their creativity and their contribution to the movie.
- Stagehand: Stagehands are probably more numerous yet more credited during plays and movies. Stagehands are responsible for managing the looks of a set, the lighting during scenes and even the special effects that trigger during climatic fight scenes. They often appear in transition scenes between acts of a play, or are never seen at all in movies.
- Casting director: Slightly harder to deduce, the casting director works in tandem with director and writer to ensure that the correct actors and people are chosen for the job. More oftenly used in plays rather than films, casting directors are responsible for casting the people who will play characters in the production. They don’t get a lot of credit and usually disappear after all the slots have been filled, but they ought to deserve their own mentions.
- Dramaturge: As the name implies, the dramaturge is a role reserved for plays and other works of theatre. The dramaturge is also called a literary advisor and they often take existing play-scripts, plots and other elements to advise theatre companies on how to adapt the play to best suit their capabilities. They often liaison directly with the actors and all other production crews before deciding whether the play should even be undertaken.
- Stage manager: Where the director adds vision to a play, the stage manager adds structure. Unfortunately when it comes to theatrical roles, I am somewhat forced to hand this over to websites which provide greater detail. I have only watched a single play in my entire life and I will be frank in that it was the most painful experience I have had the displeasure to sit through. Stage managers work in tandem with the director, often serving as a liaison between them and all the other departments of a production, from the actors to the lighting crews to the costume designers. Here are a list of some of their duties:
- hair & makeup artist | costume designer | sound designer | stunt double
- Hair and makeup artist: Do I really need to explain this role? The hair and makeup artist is responsible for making sure actors look their best during filming or plays. They deal with all aspects of the biological appearance, from their makeup their hair to their makeup (oops). They most closely communicate with costume designers, who need to make sure that their clothes correspond and complement their faces.
- Costume designer: Costume designers are responsible for designing how an actor looks throughout filming. Often costume designers need to have several copies of different clothing at hand incase something occurs during filming. Costume designers specialise in making actors look as though they’re from a certain time period, place or even planet.
- Sound designer: Without the sound designer, your movies would sound pretty bland. Sound designers are responsible for coordinating and managing the different auditory effects that occur during a movie, this ranges from slowing an actors voice during a slow-mo sequences or making sure those practical effects sound as realistic as they possibly can. Generally, sound designers and their work truly shine when depicting sounds that we don’t hear in everyday lives. In fact, one notable sound design choice was the total vacuum of sound during the suicide hyperspace jump in Star Wars: Episode VII.
- Stunt double: When an actor decides that a stunt is simply too complex or hard for them to learn (and I don’t blame them, some gymnastics in movies are hard to perform), then they call upon a stunt double to do it for them. These professionally trained doubles are often much more flexible and capable of performing stunts with a risk of injury. Interestingly, stunt doubles also act as body doubles, closely resembling the actor in order to limit the amount of CGI editing that needs to happen.
- cinematographer | grips | gaffers | extra | storyboard artist | showrunner
- Cinematographer: More commonly included in films than in works of theatre, cinematographers are the people who oversee the camera and lighting crews during filming to create iconic moments during movies. They communicate with directors and gaffers in particular to ensure the lighting can correspond to the correct camera angles. A close-up, birds eye view or sweeping shot is achieved thanks to the cinematographers. Their trade is often celebrated at awards, with the Oscars even having a category for best visual effects and production design (First Man all the way).
- Grips: Whenever a camera needs to be attached to a crane or dangled from the back of a car for a particularly edge-of-your-seat scene, then the grips are called in to make sure it all works. Grips are technical experts on call to work with the camera department whenever a certain scene needs to be filmed. They setup and maintain the recording equipment to make sure that the correct angle is achieved (oh and that the camera doesn’t break in the process). In some areas of the world, they also work with the lighting department to help run and maintain the lights in order to achieve the best focus during filming.
- Gaffers: The mark of good cinematography is iconic lighting. From getting the perfect angle on on actor’s face, to setting the time and setting of a scene. This is the work of gaffers, otherwise known as the chief lighting technician. They’re responsible for managing all the lights during production and making any necessary changes to make the lighting better. Often times, the gaffers are mentioned in the credits as being the head of the electrical department. Sometimes, the most notable movies with the most iconic lighting will get awards for them, during which the gaffer can (pun incoming) take the spotlight.
- Extra: Whenever a movie needs to portray a crowded street or include some innocent civilians (about to be on the receiving end of some death and destruction), the directors and recruiters look for extras. Extras are sometimes everyday people picked off the streets or contacted through actors for their looks and abilities. It isn’t true that extras can be anybody though, usually these extras have some prior acting experience or knowledge. These extras are often paid the daily rate, nothing nearly as extravagant compared to the main actors. Extras don’t often speak, because if they do then the directing company is obligated to name them in the credits. It is my opinion that the extras should be recognised, especially if there are some that were notable in their silent performance.
- Storyboard Artist: When the directors have gotten some sort of script of detailed vision of a movie, the storyboard artists get to work. Either using paper or digital programs, these magicians of the production process transform words into pictures. Practically every other department during filming relies on the storyboard for reference (from the costume designers to the lighting technicians). It is thanks to the storyboard artist that many films are laid out the way they are. Storyboard artists will often check in from time to time with the entire team to ensure that what they’re planning is actually feasible or if it hurts the film. Storyboard artists don’t get much other than mentions in the credits. Instead, if the film gets an award then they are usually included in the crowd that gets up and receives it.
- Showrunner: The 21st century term for any executive lead producer on a television series, a showrunner is more commonly used in the United States than other countries (in Britain and Canada they are simply referred to as producers). Showrunners top the production hierarchy and every other position on the team needs to check any decisions with them before getting the greenlight on a change. Showrunners are often those with the creative vision to create the TV show in the first place and it is they who form the production team as well as look after the budget. These people get their fair credit (quite literally) by being one of the first people to be mentioned in the start or end credits. If the TV show gets an award or praise from many sources, then they often mention the "creative genius" or "cinematographic vision" of the showrunner.
- copyeditor | proofreader | publicist | literary agent | critic | producer
- Consider these examples of ghostwritten books, speeches, and songs. Why might a famous figure resort to someone else to write for them? Conversely, why might a writer choose to go unrecognised? Are there times when a different name on a work might affect how people receive it?
- Simply put, the concept of ghostwriting is when you ask someone to write something under your name. Not to worry, ghostwriters do get paid a lucrative sum, after all they don’t get any credit whatsoever unless the person who hired them actually announces that they were the true writer. Ghostwriters are usually hired whenever someone has a vision but no true way of putting it down on paper, or when they need something written fast. Writers might choose to go unrecognised if they write about controversial topics or wish to avoid the publicity achieved with the fame. There are indeed times when a different name on a work affects its reception. Imagine finding out that Shakespeare never penned any of his plays (possibly, very possible!) and realising that some other genius did that.
- Consider sidekicks and other characters in the margins of a story—from the Wayward Sisters to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Discuss with your team: when, if ever, are their stories worth telling? Is it acceptable for an author different from the original to tell those stories?
- Ever since we’ve had stories of superheroes and other powerful protagonists, we’ve also had to deal with the blunders and adventures of their sidekicks. From Batman and Robin to Holmes and Watson, no series of books is ever complete without a partner to accompany the main hero. Their stories are often worth telling whenever they accomplish something we never expected them to. Robin received a lot of attention after DC Comics set his character apart from Batman (renamed Nightwing) in the 1980s. It is completely acceptable for another author to tell these stories, consider the case of Holmes and Watson. Many if not all of the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories were told from Watson’s viewpoint (Holmes being the lesser writer of the two). Since then, many authors following in Doyle’s footsteps have penned stories about Watson’s own adventures without Holmes by his side.
- Consider the case of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy, which was finished by a second author. What should happen if an author passes away before finishing a work? Who, if anyone, should be tasked with finishing the unfinished?
- If an author does pass away before finishing their work, then often it is found within the will or the relatives who remain alive the decision to continue the work or not. If this is not the case, then sometimes it is best to leave work unfinished. In other cases, one author who may have interacted with the deceased while they were writing the book might step up to the task of finishing where they left off.
- Research fandom and fan subcultures, particularly as centred on creative works, whether a TV series (e.g., Star Trek) or even a musical (e.g., Hamilton). You may want to consult this academic text as a starting point. Discuss with your team: do people who participate in fandoms choose to marginalise themselves, and do fandoms themselves have internal divisions between the mainstream and the marginal? Should creators encourage or even participate in fan culture?
- Fandoms and fan subcultures run deep in this modern age. Simply put, they are communities which share a common interest or passion on an individual or group or topic (i.e a celebrity, band or movie universe). Fandoms can have their own divisions, those who wish to follow the popular story and those who wish to divert away from it. Creators have already encouraged and even participated in fan culture, since it brings people together without nearly as much marginalisation as other areas of society.
- Some critics argue that a new focus on inclusiveness in storytelling has led to the creation of overly idealised characters from marginalised groups—referred to as “Mary Sues”. Even Star Wars’ Rey has been criticised by certain fans for being too perfect. Discuss with your team: should we worry about representations of marginalised communities being over idealised, or is this concern just a conservative backlash to cultural progress?
- It is somewhat a note of worry that we find marginalised groups being overly idealised in popular media and storytelling. We need to see representations of marginalised communities as they are meant to be represented, not sugar coated so that the general public sympathises more with them.
- Consider the recent announcement of a "reboot" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a more diverse cast. The news met with an intense backlash, not unlike that against recent female-led reboots of Ocean’s Eleven and Ghostbusters. Discuss with your team: do creative professionals have a responsibility to be more inclusive in their reboots of past works? Are there ways in which you would want to update other classics, such as Harry Potter or the plays of Shakespeare?
- Creative professionals don’t necessarily have that responsibility, just because society wants to be more inclusive doesn’t mean they need to follow in their footsteps. Indeed a movie that originally was very exclusive could do with some added cast variety, but not as radical as to completely replace the old cast with a more inclusive one. Harry Potter doesn’t need that much updating, I’d say the cast is fine as they are (if Harry Potter were suddenly portrayed by African-American, I doubt it would be taken too well considering they’ve been casting a white for every movie). The plays of Shakespeare are less rigid in that we can easily imagine a black Macbeth (that already exists) or an LGBTQ+ spin on the Romeo and Juliet love story.
- Read about Marvel's upcoming Asian superhero film, which is meant to follow in the footsteps of Black Panther, then discuss with your team: is it appropriate for Marvel to be narrowing their director search to someone Asian or Asian-American, or is this an example of what some critics would call "reverse discrimination"?
- It is interesting that Marvel wants to try and repeat the same formula that worked so well for Black Panther with this superhero movie about Shang-Chi. It seems somewhat appropriate that Marvel narrows their director search, though they’d better be doing so carefully. It isn’t uncommon to find movies with a majority cast of one race being directed by someone of another race, that just provides even more support to the “racial inclusion” of popular media.
- English Romantic poet John Keats wrote in a letter to his brothers that the greatest writers possess a quality he called negative capability—the ability to be "in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason”. Discuss with your team: how clear (or unclear) should literature be? Is it possible for a piece of writing (or a movie) to be both confusing and successful?
- The beauty of literature is that it can peacefully be both. Literature can be shrouded in mystery and confusion to its readers, yet also serve as clarity to them. I’ll dismiss the WSC jab at Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as being confusing and successful (the movie didn’t garner too much praise from critics because it was simply too hard to follow). Movies can have confusing plots but still be pretty successful, as long as the confusion doesn’t conflict with other plot lines in the story. A director can set up multiple plots and storylines to occur at once, entangling them at times to make the final conclusion slightly more confusing.