Where I'm From

I come from a growing suburbia in the middle of the great state of Minnesota.  The growing town of Monticello is developing at an exponential rate most prominently due to its ideal location between the large metropolises of Minneapolis and St. Cloud.  The geography of the town is unique and gives the town a diverse vibe.  On one side of town lies the Mississippi River, then through the middle of town lays rolling hills that get larger to the further north of town.  I grew up on the outskirts of the northern part of town in a wooden home that sits on top a large hill overlooking a small lake.  It’s a scenic place abundant with wildlife with frequent encounters of wild deer, foxes and squirrels.   Living in the wilderness has always given me an appreciation for the beauty that Mother Nature has to offer.  Many nights I would find myself lying on my raft out in the middle of the lake looking up at a full moon surrounded by stars.  I appreciated the diversity in environment the most when running throughout the town and the wildlife always presented a challenge in trying to catch them.  The smell of freshly baked muffins on our early morning runs helped motivate me to keep up with the others, while the sounds of constant banging from the vast amounts of construction in town kept our steps in tempo.  The construction sites in their wide abundance seemed to hide some of the best hidden treasures, such as an old stop light that was about to be thrown away.  Such a wonderful masterpiece should not be tossed in the trash so it was then used to indicate the start of each practice.  Overall I come from a friendly neighborhood and thriving community that has fulfilled me with all kinds of memories I wouldn’t trade for the world. 

Naomi Klein's Lecture: Addicted to Risk

Naomi Klein was effective as a speaker through her appeals to emotion.  The graphic images of the Gulf oil spill and the tearing up of the tar sands were effective means shocking the audience at what people have done to our planet.  In the end I did feel a call to action in changing the current practices and mindsets that people do not have to change their current ways.  She was able to shed light on how despite society has become to maintain its current structure; however there were some things that hindered her presentation.  Although she was at Woman’s seminar there was no need for her to blame the problem on males.  It seemed as if she was pointing her finger at everyone that was doing the world wrong.  As a male I was deeply offended at her points against how it was our fault in ruining nature for it was large generalization of all men.  Another problem I noticed was that she never referenced as to where the information she was presenting came from.   To be a credible speaker one would think that sourcing the place the information was coming from would be essential.  As I mentioned the images she showed of the destruction of nature were relevant and did well at backing up her main point.  However, there were many images that I felt were unnecessary.  The one word slides can be very beneficial in getting a main point across to the audience, but it becomes redundant when overused.  Also the images of the research boat she traveled on, the dice on the craps table and of a typical sign on a men’s bathroom door were distracting, taking away from the main point she was trying to convey.  In fixing these few negatives I believe that her would improve tremendously and make her seem to be a much more credible speaker.

Photo Project: On The Run

I have always felt most at home as I ran throughout the beaten paths around my home in Monticello, Minnesota.  Being a devotional runner throughout my life I have always felt at my best running.  Whether I was sick or feeling down made no difference as everything seemed to magically go away as I began my daily run.   Some of the most remembered paths I took were with my cross country team traveling in search of new places.    Every weekend we would go on long runs discovering hidden parts of the town that very few people know exist.  My visual representation shows a glimpse at the routine places I visit on my travels.

I start my visuals with my most prized possessions, my shoes.  The dirt and smudges on them lay as scars from the intense wear of running along the off road terrain.  However, no run would be complete without the companionship of my dog Mickey.  The following seven images display scenery around my house.  This includes the scenic view of the lake from my front porch, my steep twisting driveway, the small hut where I would wait for the bus, and my winter parking space.  The next fourteen photographs showcase the local sledding hill, a fox running away, the rocky terrain along the Mississippi river, some typical climbing trees and a nearby playground.  These were some of the most common places that I ran around, however these are fairly well known places throughout the community.  It is the last six that depict the hidden wonder discovered on a particularly lengthy run.  Tucked away behind the water tower lies an abandoned radio station where the entire town can be seen.  Since very few knew of this hidden location, it had become a storage place for any treasures stumbled upon.  When I revisit these places I am reminded of the wonderful times I had running with my friends and the random adventures we would partake.

Citations

National Farm Institute, Des Moines. Corporate Farming and the Family Farm. 1st ed. Ames: Iowa State UP, 1970. Print.

Thu, Kendall. "The Centralization of Food Systems and Political Power - Thu - 2009 - Culture & Agriculture." The Centralization of Food Systems and Political Power 31.1 (2009): 13-18. Wiley Online Library. American Anthropological Association, 8 June 2009. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-486X.2009.01013.x/full>.

Omnivore's Dilemma by: Michael Pollan

In The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan tells of the hidden truths of our food production industry.  Most consumers, including me do not realize the extensive process behind the production of our food.  This is because companies hide their process for they know that it may hinder consumers from buying their products.  Pollan does a good job at enlightening people to this secret process and pointing out the negative impacts it is having.  He makes his argument seam valid through his research and by siting all of the sources he used.  This is essential for the author to appear to be credible.  Through reading this story and watching Food Inc right afterward my appetite for food is absolutely none existent.  To hear of how prevalent disease is becoming in this new mechanized system makes me wonder as to why nothing has been done to change they process the food is prepared.  An example of this is the whole issue of feeding cattle corn.  In doing so not only is the nutritional value of meat lost, but the animal has an increased chance of dieing due to the gas built up from the decomposing   the corn.  Overall I found this story to be quite fascinating and presented a ton of information.  Yet the read was quite entertaining through Pollan's style of giving the facts in small chunks rather than all at once.

The Everyday Writer

In chapter seven of the Everyday Writer I learned that by creating an organizational plan or outline can really help when trying to put together one's ideas.   Before this I had always just gone right ahead and tried to write out my whole paper.  This usually left it fairly unorganized and often times I would find myself getting off topic.  I think that by making myself an outline or organizational plan I will  have a much better sense of what to include in my written analysis paper.  Due to the complexity of my story I was writing on I was having a hard time narrowing down my thesis, but with a clear plan I think it will become much easier to do.  Overall I think that there are quite a few areas where I still need improvement as a writer, but after reading this I feel that I have a much better grasp on the planning and drafting part of an essay.

Analysis Paper Claim

Henry David Threau attempts to bring meaning of life through the simplicity found within his environment at Walden Pond.  He does this through imagery of how chaotic sociey had become, his tone and word choice.

Response Questions to Grizzly Man

1) What do you think Herzog's purpose is in revealing Treadwell's death so early in the film? What information does he keep until much later? Why?
                By dismissing Treadwell's death very early in the movie, I feel as though Herzog belittled Treadwell's death to portray the underlying reasons behind Treadwell's actions.   I really think that this was the smartest way to go about making the documentary for if one waited until the end an audience would be much more likely to form stone cold opinions about Treadwell's life work and whether they feel that his intentions were valid.  This is because later in the movie Herzog reveals that Treadwell changed his name and hired an agent in Las Angeles getting himself into a ton of trouble.  This all questions Treadwell's intentions, while at the same time benefits the documentary for showing all the sides of Treadwell's story.




2) Herzog narrates his own film, making arguments about Treadwell’s character and motives. At one point we see his body, but not his face in the film. He uses the term "I believe." How does this affect his credibility as a film maker? Why does Herzog enter his own film as a character? What is he trying to accomplish and why?
             Herzog enters his own film as a narrator to help reinforce some of the underlying themes he has detected in Treadwell's story.  His arguments are made much more plausible by coming from him himself, although by using the term "I believe" he is becoming less credible as a film maker for he is telling people what his opinions  are making a majority of the film seem much more biased.  In doing this I feel that he was able to draw up much more controversy and really shed light on the entire story of what happened, even though he was biased.  With himself in the movie I think that he also is able to create a much more emotional environment and is really able to tell that story as he wants it to be seen.


3) How does Herzog depict Timothy Treadwell as a character? What clips does he choose to show? What allowances or statements does he make in his narration? How does it compare with what his friends and family say about him?    
            Herzog is very tough on Timothy Treadwell often times questioning his character and credibility.  Throughout the movie Herzog shows a lot of Treadwell's outtakes and reveals a majority of his personal moments in which Timothy is at some of his lowest points.  Often times Timothy would be found cursing and getting very upset over insignificant things.  A majority of the scenes shown in Herzog's film go against what his family and friends say about him.  They always talk about how kindhearted and lovable man who was very passionate about what he was doing.  His friends and family truly believed that he was making a real difference up in Alaska.  However, Herzog disclaimed all of these things and seemed quite biased into his opinion of Timothy Treadwell.  With all of Herzog's negative feedback of Treadwell it is clear that he believes that Treadwell's venture out into the wilderness of Alaska was all a show in order for him to gain fame.




4) What is your impression of what Treadwell was trying to accomplish by going into the Alaskan wilderness for 13 summers? Do you agree that his goal of protecting the bears was a noble one, or was he only habituating them to human presence? How do some of the images and interviews provide evidence for your point of view? What do you think was Herzog’s argument for what Treadwell ultimately accomplished? What was Herzog's purpose in making the film?
             I feel that Treadwell had good intentions when he first set out on his journey in the Alaskan wilderness.  Although I do give him credit for raising awareness of the troubles bears were going through, I do feel that he did more harm to them than he helped them.  In getting bears more adept to human presence it is evident that the bears could be put into much more dangerous situations with people that intend to harm them.  Also it could potentially harm people who where not looking to harm bears, but were in the wrong situation.  Such as the classic example of  bears wondering in on family picnics out in the wilderness and with bears becoming more comfortable around people they would be more inclined to walk up to these families.  With that as seen in the videos Treadwell is often tested by the bears and by having people who are not prepared to handle that situation there is a fairly good chance that injury or even fatality could occur.  This was reinforced by the interview Herzog did with one of the native people on the island.  In this interview the Native went on to explain the respect that they had for the bear and that with that respect they left them alone for thousands of years.  Herzog's argument against Treadwell was very apparent throughout the entire film and I do believe that in the end he had arranged the story in a way that it would be very easy for me to agree with his opinion in that Treadwell was not on a mission to save the bears, but rather was to become attached to something for he has become so vulnerable in the human world.




5) The Alaskan biologist states at one point that he thinks Treadwell was trying to become a bear, or be like the bears. He argues that we can't because their world is a harsh world and very different from our own. At other points, Treadwell makes a value distinction between the human world and the world of the bears, stating that he loved the animal world and hated the human one. What arguments is the film making for the boundary between humans and wild nature?
             The film is showing that humans do not belong in the animal world it is far too dangerous, yet its simplicity is appealing to some.  I think that Treadwell looks at the animal world with such high regards for he had never been wronged by an animal before in his life.  Where as in the human world he had a rough string of events which really altered his view upon our world.  Also the loyalty that Treadwell had established in the wilderness with the animals had him going backing for more for he knew that they would remain loyal to him.  This is most likely accompanied by a betrayal that happened to him in the human world.




6) Herzog shows Treadwell trying to deal with death he encounters in the wild that, "doesn't fit into his sentimentalized view that everything out there was good and the universe was in balance and in harmony." Do you think there is evidence that this was Treadwell's view? Herzog goes on to say, "I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility, and murder." Why do you think Herzog included this statement? How does it fit into the subject of the entire movie?
                     Timothy's sentimental view of the universe were questioned a few times throughout the documentary.  I think that the universe being in balance and in harmony was Treadwell's view for he was shown crying over animals quite often.   The point at which this is most reinforced is when Treadwell encounters the dead baby fox.  He begins to cry uncontrollable and can not quite recover from what he has seen.  Even after he sees the dead fox he is seen with his  "fox friends" much more often.  I think that Herzog's opposing view on the world was reinforcing his view that Treadwell was trying to seam innocent in a world that was so unforgiving.   I also think that Herzog's view on the world was reinforced quite a few times.  One of the most apparent times for me was when Treadwell had died.  This who situation sounded to be very chaotic and filled  with hostility.  Also not only was Timothy and Amy killed by the bear, but then afterwards the bear was murdered as well.  Thus making Herzog's view  of the world much more believable than Timothy's.


7) Why do you think they didn't release the audio recording of Timothy and Amy's death to the film audience? How did Herzog present the tape instead? What kind of emotional response did that create? How? What are the ethical implications of the choices he made in depicting the details of Timothy and Amy’s death?
              In depicting the death of Timothy and Amy Herzog utilized the coroner who was dressed in uniform and standing next to a body on the table.  The coroner describes their death and shows the garbage bags that their remains were delivered in.   Now Herzog never released the audio recording of Timothy and Amy's death, which I think was a very smart decision for there is a fine line that one does not cross.  For me this line would be the audio of one actually being eaten.  There is far too much personal information and I think that if Herzog would have released the tape his credentials would have been in question for he never even met Treadwell, so who was he to release the audio of this man dieing.   Instead the director is shown listening to the tape, but his face is not shown.  The emotion is instead portrayed through Jewel's reactions to him.  This is used to create a dramatic effect by letting the mind run wild as to how bad the situation really was.  Then when Herzog began yelling at Jewel to never listen to the audio and that she was to destroy it, adding to the dramatic effect of the situation.


8) What does Timothy Treadwell's background do for your impression of his character and motives? How does Herzog depict Treadwell's parents and upbringing? Were you surprised by what you learned? Why do you think Herzog waited so long to share this part of Treadwell's story?
               In learning Timothy's background was that of an average American boy I was able to relate to him much more.  By being able to relate to Timothy I think I had a much lighter view of him than most for I had been in some of those same situations.  It was when I had learned that Treadwell had changed his name and moved out of Los Angeles to become some sort of movie star that my view of him began to change for the worse.  He was making some poor decisions and getting into some trouble with the wrong crowd of people.  I think that Herzog waited to tell this part of Treadwell's story to help people determine their point of view on the work that Treadwell was doing before they began to judge him as a person.

Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

Simplicity and moderation were some of the main themes in this story.  Henry starts the story off building his very   own cabin out of the nature around him.  He then went on to describe how there were people out there taking advantage of people who hadn't built their own homes.  For instance he tells how it cost him just as much to build his house as it would cost to stay at Cambridge College for a year.  Henry then moved on to describes the other faults that society today had.  Such as reading the newspaper and all of the gossip it included when they could be utilizing their time elsewhere bettering themselves.   Through the whole story it appeared as if the author was trying to sell his way of life and persuading people through his philosophy on life.  It is through a simple and modest life that one lives life to its fullest.  Materialistic things such as the railroads and newspapers are unnecessary and only distract people from the true beauties the world has to offer.      

Tornado (inspired by Katrina page 31)

I was born far away

tossing and turning I begin to spin, churning up boxes,
fences and so much more

I was swirling, whirling, I threw down
a wall of hail, falling blocks of pain

Turning the sky green, letting you know I'm here.
Hungrier than you had ever feared.  Howling for more I come for you,
only to devour

everything you once knew.

The Blood Dazzler by Patricia Smith

The collection of poetry put together by Patricia Smith about the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina left me in shock.  Before reading these poems I had a general understanding of what happened when Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans, but I never understood the things people did during this natural disaster.  It was after reading these poems that I could finally grasp what exactly people why these things happened.  For instance I never understood as to why anyone would stay through the storm, however I then realized through the poem "Man On The TV Say" that the people had been told to leave so many times before and that some people just couldn't bare to leave all of their things behind.  For Patricia Smith to not even have been in New Orleans and written such graphic and vivid poems just goes to show that she had done a fantastic job at researching the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  In fact I didn't even know that she was not there until I was told during class, for there were so many believable descriptions of what might have happened in the storm.

Place by W.S. Merwin

The poem by Merwin starts off with a feeling of doom from the very first line by talking about the end of the world.  His last wish was very surprising to me at first for it was not typical answer one would expect.  Instead of wanting to gain something for himself, he wanted to give back to the world.  Then as he explained what kind of try he wanted I began to think of his reasoning behind why he was being specific on the kind of tree that he would want to plant.  I then began to relate the poem to the consumption of resources and how instead of depleting the world of anymore, when he passed away he wanted  the earth to gain something out of his existence.  It then occurred to me that that was not what the poem was getting at, rather he had stated that he  wanted one that would be able to enjoy the beauty the world had to offer. Such as the sun set, rain and clouds passing by which are all things that I think many people take for granted on a day to day basis.  Overall I really enjoyed this short poem and it really proved to me that not everything has to be so complex to be appreciated.  It took a short poem with a simple message in order for me to really look at all the things I have been taking for granted and has really helped me grow to appreciate the little things in life.

Is This Kansas

Throughout this story I had sensed a strong sense of racism.  Even though in the very beginning the author has mentioned that racism no longer exists, she still went on to compare the disaster of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans to a tornado that had run through Iowa City.  In talking about the hurricane it was evident that in the aftermath aid and rescue was not happening nearly as fast as it should have.  The author then tells that reports of looting and violence had run wild throughout the media and even those reports would later be proven to being false people had already become attached to the idea that the people of New Orleans were "savages."  This really made me to start to question the integrity of society and if racism really is at large.  As I read on the author then began talking about her personal experience with a natural disaster in Iowa City.  The tornado there had completely devastated the small town and although looting was occurring reports of the disaster mainly were about neighbors helping each other out in times of need.  The author did a very nice job at showing how the two disasters were treated completely differently.  While I do agree with her that racism does still exist I had a really hard time getting past her very stereotypical view of college students in the Midwest.  Although I maybe only a freshman I have not experienced any of the things that she was talking about.

Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place

Terry Temptest Williams did a very good job at setting the scene right away.  Her description of the Great Salt Lake was as if she was an expert of the region and knew everything associated with the lake.  I really enjoyed her approach in describing things not only by their appearance, but also by their significance scientifically.  As the story progressed we learned of her love for the land as a Mormon and how that had lead to her loving nature.  It was with the removal of the owls that we truly get a  feel for how passionate she is for nature and a glimpse at the anger that begins to form inside of her.  Then Terry switches gears to talk about her grandmothers passing away to cancer.  This part of the story was very emotional for I could feel every bit of pain she must have gone through not only to have a loved one pass away, but to also to have sat there and watched a loved one suffer in more pain than one could even imagine.  This is what I believed was the last time that Terry was going to sit back  and do nothing.  Now she was determined to do something in order to protect everything that she loved.  Thus protesting over the nuclear bombings in Utah made perfect sense to do.