Analysis of 'John Berger, Ways Of Seeing'

Quotes:

• Page 7- Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognises before it can speak.
• Page 8- To touch something is to situate oneself in relation to it.
• Page 10- Images were first made to configure up the appearances of something that was absent
• Page 10- The more imaginative the work, the more profoundly it allows us to share the artist's experience of the visible.

On page 7, the text mentions a painting by Magritte called The Key Of Dreams. It comments on the 'always-present gap between words and seeing.'

The Key Of Dreams

What one must paint is the image of resemblance—if thought is to become visible in the world.

—Rene Magritte

"In Magritte’s work, The Key of Dreams, the artist successfully attempts to demonstrate that “seeing comes before words,” and that there is a gap between words and what we see since we cannot explain what we see exactly.  What we see and how we see it is reflected through our individual experiences and how we relate to what we are looking at.  In the painting there are four panels, each in which Magritte has placed an image above words.  In the first panel we see an image of a horse with “the door” written underneath.  The panel to the right of this depicts a clock with the words, “the wind.”  The panel underneath this one shows a suitcase with “the valise” written.  And finally, the panel to the right of this depicts a pitcher accompanied by the words, “the bird.”  It is interesting how Magritte has placed an image of something that is recognizable, and paired it with words that describe something else that is recognizable.  However, since we are not actually seeing it, only the words that describe it, in our minds we can imagine what color that door is, or what kind of bird is being referred to."

Analysis of Children's books from the library

John Berger, Ways Of Seeing

Although not a book created for children, it definitely was useful in terms of research and possible quotes that I could use within my essay. 

The Gift, Carol Ann Duffy, Illustrated by Rob Ryan

A really beautiful book with all the imagery and illustration by Rob Ryan and a long poem throughout by Carol Ann Duffy, I think this would be for a older child especially advanced at reading (6+). In terms of the imagery used, they aren't the most realistic and descriptive but there is nothing made up within it.

Walk This World, Lotta Nieminen

This book is different to the others because it is a lot more interactive, it has small flaps which the child can open and close, this will immediately make this book more fun for them as children like things that help them learn kinetically. 

Where Is The Cake?, T.T. Khing

This book has no words, its just complete illustrations. This was the only book I found in the library where there were no words at all throughout the story, I'm not quite sure this would at all be educational and helpful for children. It would definitely be visual for them however a book with no words can be quite challenging. 

A First Book Of Nature, Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Mark Hearld

This is the most educational book I think I found in the library, it's all about nature and again the book is very interactive and educational. Its very visual for the child with lots of appropriate imagery and colours, teaching about all aspects of nature and the seasons.

I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato, Lauren Child

This book was my favourite growing up and I think Lauren Child is very clever with her story writing  and imagery in terms of how the books are put together. They are always incredibly detailed and try to be as realistic as possible while still having the cartoon drawings of the characters,  

Study Task 04- Identities and consumption

What is meant by multiple identities?

Multiple identities are created when a person is placed in more than one social situations quite frequently. These identities are not always visible in day to day life, they can even be created in online virtual environments. An example of this within the text gives the role of a woman with multiple identities, this is created through her every day job as a lawyer during the daytime, but during the morning and evening she takes on the role of a mother. 

How are identities formed?

Identities are formed when a person develops a distinct personality during a certain stage of their life in which individual characteristics are possessed. The formation of identities is complex as they do begin early on in life but continue to develop throughout, self-recognition develops around the age of 2 .

What is social categorisation?

Humans categorise the world around them in relation to themselves, when doing this people usually accentuate their perception of others and those they are categorising. People also make use of material possessions in order to categorise others, this naturally raises the question whether or not the categorisation will represent what the person is really like.

What is social comparison?

Social comparison is about how people learn about themselves by comparing similarities and differences to others. This comparison is driven by a need to maintain and increase positive self-esteem.

What is social identity theory?

Social identity theory can be defined as people being part of a group so it helps them define who they are as well as boosting their self-esteem and general well-being. Tajfel described social identity as 'that part of the individuals self-concept which derives from their knowledge of their membership of a social group together with the value and emotional significance of that memberships.'

What is an example of strong brand identification?

An example of strong brand identification came from a study where Macintosh and PC users were compared. The Macintosh brand was found to be more likely to be part of a consumers self-concept for a hypothetical construct of how Apple computers can be more strongly linked to sell.

What are the negative effects on body image?

There is constant exposure to media messages telling consumers that physical appearance is important, it has been suggested that body image should be considered part of our identities as it is part of an individuals self-representation. However, there are pressures from a very young age to look perfect, children are given unrealistic ideals of what they should look like. There is then a possibility they will want to change their physical appearance, which could lead to poor physical and mental health.

What is self-discrepancy theory?

This theory offers an explanation as to why people become unhappy with their physical appearance. This proposes that people have three types of self-schema.

1) Actual self- the way people are at the present point in time.

2) Ideal self- the self that we aspire to be.

3) Ought self- the way we think we should be.