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In the first unit of the course Writing Across Media, we explored the linguistic and gestural modes in class and on our own. We read and examined three sources to further our understanding of these modes; two of the three sources are further analyzed in this portfolio.
This unit was tricky for me because I had to utilize modes and ways of writing/composition I had never used before for the assignments. As a college senior, I’m not used to this degree of freedom in completing assignments, and was rather lost when it became apparent that I would not simply be writing the usual 12-pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced paper I’m used to for other classes. However, I ended up having fun with the creative freedom afforded to me.
A main theme that tied all my works together is foreign language learning. This theme can first be seen in my Theorizing With The Mode assignment for linguistic mode. I linked the Independent Black Institutions (IBIs) discussed in Maisha Fisher’s work “Toward A Theory Of Black Literate Lives” to my own experiences with Hebrew school growing up. Unsurprisingly, in Hebrew school I primarily engaged in foreign language learning, as well as important cultural and historical learning. I also examined the concept of literacy, and concluded that literacy can not be defined only as proficiency in reading and writing.
For example, one could be highly intelligent and an excellent public speaker, but not know how to read or write, such as in the case of Sojourner Truth. Or in my own personal case, one could declare me literate in Hebrew, seeing as I can both read and write the language. However, I can not understand the meaning of what I read/write, and can not speak or communicate in Hebrew at all.
According to the societal definition of “literate” (being able to read and write a language) I would be considered literate in Hebrew, but the times when I go to Israel I am hopelessly unable to understand anything. Therefore, I stated that literacy should not be relegated only to the mediums of text, and should include other forms of communication.
The theme of foreign language learning is again brought up in my second Theorizing With The Mode assignment, in which I analyzed the gestural mode. I wrote about my experiences using gesture to both learn, communicate in, and teach foreign languages during my past year studying abroad in Japan. Multiple times I used gesture to try and convey a word or meaning I didn’t know the translation for; other times teachers or friends would do the same when they were trying to teach me a new word or concept. And when I was teaching English, I supplemented what I was saying by using gesture to communicate the meanings of my words, for example miming using chopsticks and chewing along with saying the word “eat” to illustrate the meaning of the word.
For the linguistic mode “Composing With The Mode” assignment, I made a web page that utilized media to represent my identity. For the gestural mode assignment, I filmed myself dancing on the train tracks behind the dumpster behind Arby’s to three different songs (Sadistic Dream by Auto-Mod, Stab Me In The Back by X, and Merciless Cult by Dir en Grey).
Two important things in my life that I define myself by are humor and music; thus I tried to combine them in both composition assignments, albeit in different ways. In the linguistic mode assignment, I represented song lyrics that are important to me in ways that could be interpreted as humorous - “BORN TO DIE” written in pink sparkly glitter, for example. And in the gestural mode assignment, I danced very badly in an overdramatic, humorous fashion to three different songs.
I also made sure to include the theme of foreign language learning in both of my “Composing With The Mode” assignments. In the linguistic mode assignment, I added a song lyric (from the song Aku no Hana by Buck-Tick) in Japanese (the language I’m learning): 「凍える夜に叫び続ける」which translates to “screaming endlessly in the frozen night.” And in the gestural mode assignment, all the songs I danced to are in Japanese.
In this unit, I learned about the linguistic and gestural modes, and created four works that analyze and interpret them. Through these activities, I was able to better understand how writing doesn’t simply have to be the usual 12-point text on paper, I can use it freely as a medium in a variety of ways to explore my identity. Writing doesn’t have to be used just to write analytical papers, I can use it as a facet of web design, like with my linguistic Composing With The Mode assignment. Additionally, being ‘literate’ doesn’t have to just mean being adept and reading and writing, it can mean being able to use language to communicate, study, explore, and influence others and oneself.
I can use this knowledge when completing assignments for future units in this class and others, and also in my daily life. After learning about the ways I can use writing for self-exploration, one thing I started doing about two or three weeks ago is keeping a journal of sorts. It’s not a conventional journal, and I don’t write in it daily. Instead, whenever I’m feeling very anxious or depressed and am paralyzed by my own negative emotions, I open up the document and just write everything that I’m feeling. I don’t read through it or bother to keep proper grammar, punctuation, or other rules, and when I’m done I don’t edit it or correct my mistakes. I’ve found that funneling all my thoughts into words and putting them into this document helps to clear my mind somewhat. Even after this class is finished, I’ll probably continue to keep my rogue ‘journal’ and add to it.
In conclusion, writing doesn’t have to be clean and polished to be “good writing.” That’s the biggest lesson I can take away from this unit.
