Bernhardt Digestion
Summary
In his
article “Seeing the Text” Stephen Bernhardt discusses the benefits of student
experimentation with the visual elements of the written word. He argues that
this experimentation will enhance “their ability to understand and use
hierarchical and classificatory arrangements.” This visual component of any
piece of writing, Bernhardt suggests, possesses the capability of altering the
way a reader perceives what he’s just consumed. (a gender-neutral word to take
the place of “he” is?)
Synthesis
This
article reminds me of Scott McCloud’s comic-strip/analysis of visual images
clashing with the written word. Clashing in a good sense. Not that they’re
vehemently opposed to each other. The way they harmonize. But it’s almost like
we should’ve read McCloud’s article after this one. Bernhardt’s piece could’ve
been the preamble for what he was trying to explain. His reinforcement would’ve
been McCloud’s piece.
Before I Read
Option 3
Right now
I’m taking a scriptwriting course. So a lot of the work I’m assigned requires
me to write through my eye–meaning that I have to describe the way the audience
would see what’s transpiring on the screen. It’s a much different way of doing
things. I prefer it. Maybe because I prefer film to written text. Well usually.
I do like books very much though.
Questions for Discussion and Journaling
4) I think
instructors task their students with essays that contain specific composition
requirements because they want to test how well the students can perform when
placed under definitive restrictions. It’s not a matter of how well a student
can synthesize the themes he/she’s talking about, but how well a student can
adapt to a foreign playing field, if you will. Why this skill of adaptation is
so heavily practiced I’m not sure. But that’s the way I see it.
Applying and Exploring Ideas
Option 4
Quite
frequently, actually every day, I visit a blog dedicated to director Paul
Thomas Anderson and the films he’s made. It’s called Cigarettes and Red Vines. I
quite like the way it presents its information: most recent news at the top;
scroll down to read older articles or news clippings. It’s simple and makes
sense. Of course there are tabs you can click on that take you to other parts
of the blog, but the most crucial info is all on the front page, dealt out
chronologically.
After I Read
I think the
most obvious answer to this question would be that McCloud would’ve presented
Bernhardt’s information in a comic strip format. I don’t think all of Bernhardt’s
article would’ve been transformed into comic form though. There would’ve been
some exposition explaining his concept, perhaps verbatim, with some McCloud
interpretation included.
Meta Moment
Project #2
seems to provoke the most consideration for the visual organization and
presentation of text. We’re offered the opportunity to incorporate many
different mediums and synthesize them into one coherent piece of research and
experimentation.
Personal Opinion
Once again,
very dry. Interesting concept, the idea of visual organization and its impact
on the audience. The article was obviously written for the academics, so it
certainly does feel a little alienating. This doesn’t mean I was unable to
comprehend what Bernhardt was getting at, but it just took a little more time
to digest his vocabulary.
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