How we make sense of the world

How we produce “beauty”

Helps us understand others and their sense of the world

Helps us make sense of the “big questions”

Makes us interesting, well rounded, educated humans

Helps us appreciate other experiences

Helps us become “culturally literate” (we’re in on the joke when someone makes a literary allusion or reference)

Literature Basics

When we talk about literature, we can’t help but talk about quality because all literature isn’t the same.

*Note though, the next slides present information as if literature is EITHER good or bad, when we know that the issue is more complex.

High Culture Art vs. Pop Culture Art

In every art form in every culture, there is the art that serves to make us think and the art that serves to entertain us.

Have you seen a movie or read a book lately that made you think? Was it entertaining as well?

Why do you think independent films so rarely make it to every theater?

Examples from Film

Audience: mass audience who wants entertainment National Treasure (the action movie) Atonement (the chick-flick drama) Superbad (the adult comedy) Shrek (the children’s comedy) Etc.

Audience: specific; those who understand film as art, know jargon, devices, inner workings of field Junebug Cache Some documentaries Many independent films Many films produced on a small budget

for the sake of creating an artistic expression

Examples from Art

Audience: Mass Most advertising art Art from artists like Thomas Kinkade Posters (Kitsch) Desktops Coffee mugs Calendars Clothing Anything mass produced, or produced for thesake of making a profit

Audience: A narrower audience; specifically those with appreciation of art or money to purchase it “Fine art” Ceramics, paintings, sculpture, photography, etc. Anything produced for the sake of beauty or

expression

"Girl with a Pearl Earring“

Van Gogh search results

Fast food – mass produced, $

Fashion—mass produced, $ - $$

Music – mass produced for radio and profit,

FREE

Fine cuisine – audience appreciates art form, $$$$

Couture – “high fashion,” $$$$

Music – “high” music, opera, orchestral, etc., $$

Examples from Literature

Audience: A mass audience that desires entertainment or escape The mystery novel The “bodice ripper” romance The spy novel Any fiction or non-fiction piece with a

primary goal of entertainment/sales

Characters: sound clip

- lack complexity - are stereotypes (the ditzy cheerleader, the bratty younger sibling, the bully, the grouchy senior citizen, etc.)

Plot:Launches into action without

character developmentPredictableHas a happy, resolved ending (or a

cheap ending)Confirms popular beliefs –Doesn’t challenge the reader tothink or question

So the quality of art is determined by several factors. What is its purpose? Who is the audience?

This brings us to an important issue. What is art anyway? You’ll talk about this when you take an art

appreciation class—we could spend an entire semester just talking about the nature of art!

This brings us to an important issue. What is art anyway? You’ll talk about this when you take an art

appreciation class—we could spend an entire semester just talking about the nature of art!