Metacognition: Jane Eyre Mashup

It's difficult to predict the dynamics of a group project. Going in the Jane Eyre mashup, I already knew that I didn't want to work alone because, when looking for Jane Eyre quotes, I would have to look through the entire book. Being in a group meant that each of the members combed thoroughly through a section of the book. That made the work of a mashup seem less overwhelming in the first place. I came into the project expecting it to run fairly smoothly and to finish it in 2 meetings (along with a little bit of individual work). 

Before the first meeting, I knew that I had to find enough passages to add to the mashup. I kept the idea of my group's theme "void" as a guidline of what to look for. I started to come up with possible subtopics for "void" while looking through Jane Eyre. I expected that these subtopics would be how the final mashup was organized; then thinking that grouping sources together and then figuring out how to order the groups would lead to the final mashup.

I was happy with the workload that I was expected of with this mashup; dividing the work of finding sources evenly through the group evened out the project and had everyone's opinion/work in the final product. I also was very grateful that I had 3 other minds to work with. I would have surely gotten stuck with trying to order the sources together.  I found this extremely helpful when I got stuck trying to sequence the mashup while discussing with the rest of my group: when I got stuck I sat back and waited to get un-stuck. However, I was surprised that I started to space out while listening to the rest of my group and found it hard to get back on the train of thought. 

I'm glad that I can collaborate with a group and still have my thoughts in the final product (no one's voice got lost), but I need to make sure that in the future I try to stay on the group train of thought even if I get stuck. Also, when working alone I need to find a way to always get un-stuck without getting distracted. 

Overall, I exhausted my brain working on this project and trying to agree on a sequence of sources with a group of four people. I've learned that I just have to keep thinking even when group meetings draw out and opinions started to run in circles. 

Change of Mind: Expression Through Punctuation

I've never really given punctuation in writing a second thought. I merely used it to have the sentence flow correctly in the reader's mind and to have it be grammatically correct. I learned to separate thoughts with periods, commas, colons, semi-colons, and dashes. But, this wide array of symbols all used to place a pauses into writing seemed excessive. Of course there are specific grammatical rules when a comma should be used versus a semicolon, but I found the rules rather unnecessary. Why should there be so many different ways to express a pause? In response to my annoyance, I just stuck to using the symbols I knew I could use correctly and safely (mainly commas and semicolons).

An in-class discussion on Brönte's use of colons, semicolons, commas, and dashes all in one paragraph made me curious as to why she used such a variety (specifically on page 305). Punctuation wasn't exactly my main focus in reading Jane Eyre, but taking a closer look as to why Brönte carefully selected her punctuation intrigued me. The different pauses of each punctuation create a complex rhythm of thought and understanding of characters' minds (mainly Jane). Jane usually uses long and flowing sentences when describing events in her life. When she suddenly separates thoughts, the different punctuation puts emphasis onto specific items in lists or realizations in trains of thought. Pauses create emphasis and different punctuation adds variety and direction to important words and phrases. 

When realizing how all of the different punctuation symbols can be used to my advantage to shade and deepen the hues of my writing such as Brönte does seemingly unconsciously, I will make an effort to fully understand how to use different punctuation correctly. Fear of incorrect grammar hindering the flow of my writing (or even at the expense of a grade) was holding me back from using all types of punctuation. If I understand how to use all of it, I will use a wide variety to enhance my writing. Varied punctuation adds another depth to ways writing can express feeling. I realize now that this is done by word choice, word order, sentence length, and now punctuation among others. The complexity of expression in writing becomes one degree easier with the help of having varied punctuation on hand.

360 Degrees: David H. Koch Theater

In Lincoln Center, it is not easy for a specific theater/hall to stand out. In this collection of performing venues, one can see professional orchestras, college orchestras, musicals, Shakespeare, opera, and ballet; often several performances at once on some evenings! What's so fascinating about one of them, the David H. Koch Theater, is its impressionability and design to compliment the ballet performed there. 

The David H. Koch Theater is the first thing that pops into my head when recalling a tour I took of the Lincoln Center. As to why it sticks out more than others, the theme captured my attention at first. When walking into the lobby, it appears as any standard performance entryway. When the guide mentioned the theme of a music box, I looked through the carefully designed details to see the flow of the theme. I saw the rectangular lobby as the opened music box, ornately lined with rows of jeweled lights and ceiling adorned with sheets of gold. The audience is meant to be on display while in the lobby; the three rows of walkways around the center of the rectangle allow people to see others from all tiers.

Inside the stage area lies the biggest gem. A spectacular chandelier mimics a large jeweled broach. All of these precious metals in the theater surround and reflect light onto the dancers spinning in the music box. 

This theme in the theater also reflects views on ballet. By putting them on display in a music box, the audience expects perfection. Each turn is pulled by the music and every dancer is uniform. The ballerinas in music boxes do not even change position. They slowly twirl with the crank of minute chimes. Although this sets up an enchanting performance experience, should the dancers be expected to perfectly dance like a wind-up ballerina in a jewelery box?

Along with the jewelry box theme, designers incorporated modern art to put relate ballet to everyday happenings. These pieces scattered throughout the theater relate to ballet in a less rigid sense than the overall theme. Human expression, emotion, and natural beauty are among the themes of the art. Because the art pieces are more subtle than the overall theme, this puts less emphasis on the raw expression part of ballet. 

No matter if the audience picks up on the main theme or the modern art on display, the overall feel and design of this theater makes it stick in people's minds. The attention to detail make it a theater specifically for ballet and heighten the experience of watching ballet in the theater. Meaning and detail; not just slapping four walls together, add power and significance to this building. Care in design in most anything can yield strong effects on the audience.

View of the stage and chandelier

Lobby (note the gold ceiling; it is thousands of tiny gold leaves smoothed together)