ILIT- A new Language
ILIT- A New Language
ENGL 150: A new dimension of literature
By
Thompson Long
English 150 has been unlike any other class I have ever taken. Being an English major, I was relatively sure of what I was getting into when I registered for this class. After the first week of class, I realized I was sorely mistaken. The traditional mediums of literature that I had grown accustomed too were nothing like what I experienced in this class. At first I shook in trepidation at the prospect of pairing multimedia elements with the study of complex literary works all the while maintaining an open platform portfolio. However, as I progressed in the class I stopped focusing on all of the things I didn't know how to do in relation to electronic mediums of poetry and literature. I began focusing on the skills I was developing and the greater level of expression and creativity that I was able to channel through tools such as Camtasia. This class has been a tremendous learning experience for me; it has been both humbling and empowering. I hope that my portfolio will reflect this journey in learning.
Poetry Essay: Words from the War
The first major assignment of the year was straightforward enough. It consisted of an approximately 1000 word essay outlining a poem of our choosing. It had been over a year since the last time I was given an assignment regarding poetry; I was thrilled with the opportunity. I immediately thought of my favorite poets, Wilfred Owen separated himself almost instantly. I decided to write about his celebrated poem, “Dulce et Decorum Est.” Working with this poem was an absolute delight, I was able to combine my love of poetry with my passion for Military History, a combination that rarely presents itself. I found that after I had written this paper I had a new understanding of Owen’s poetry and Owen himself. I attribute this new level of understanding to the level of detail that observing poetry requires. When I finished my paper I was pleased with my final product. That was until I received my first revisions from Professor Anderson, I’d never had a paper marked up to such a degree. However, after I started to look at the comments I realized just how thorough the edits were. I had never had a teacher take such painstaking effort to edit my paper. This gave me a new level of appreciation for the level of care a writer must take to master the trade.
I had read Dulce et Decorum est before. However, after this paper I gained a new found appreciation for Owens unique rythmic style #ilit
— Nicholas T Long (@NicholasTLong2) January 28, 2016
Proffesor Anderson's thorough notes:
E-Poetry: A new frontier
E-Poetry was an entirely new concept to me, an entirely foreign language, and I had to learn how to speak it. I found this experience to be infuriating at times, it tried my patience at every turn. However, much like learning a new language, the sense of accomplishment that progress provides is unparalleled.
E Poetry is definitely challenging my perceptions about poetry... and my patience. However, I am coming to enjoy and appreciate it #ilit
— Nicholas T Long (@NicholasTLong2) February 4, 2016
First Experience with E-Poetry:
My first experience with E-poetry came during class, we broke of into small groups and attempted a rudimentary presentation on Camtasia. I have little to no technology skills, the prospect of dealing with Camtasia for an entire semester was bewildering. After we finished our first E-Poem I lacked confidence, however, what replaced it was far better, curiosity. Our E-Poem focused on The Red Wheelbarrow, our video featured cartoon illustrations, movie clips, and music from The Band. Ultimately, it was rough and disjointed, but it was a start.
Trial Run:
E-POETRY
We were once again given the opportunity to choose a poem to work with. Only this time we wouldn't be writing about poetry, we would be creating it. The task was designed to take a previously existing poem and develop it into an E-Poem. I chose “Fishing in Winter” by Ralph Burns. This project allowed me to create a personal representation of the original poem. Using multimedia I created a viewing experience that was entirely different from the initial poem. I was able to take my passion for fly fishing, impressions of the poem, and creativity and create an entirely unique message.
Rough Draft:
Really pleased with my finished E Poem. Really captured my love for the sport and its personal meaning. #ilit #epoetry
— Nicholas T Long (@NicholasTLong2) February 23, 2016
Once I had created my initial project my edits were not dramatic, however, they were significant. My final product featured footage from some of my favorite fly fishing films along with numerous other sources. The bagpipes featured in the background seamlessly tie along with the video content. Ultimately, my E-Poem served as a personal exploration that created a product far more revealing and insightful than any Poetry essay I could have written.
E-POEM FINAL:
I found my E-Poem walkthrough to be the single greatest learning tool this semester. It forced me to reflect on my intentions behind every aspect of my E-Poem. This reflection lead to a greater appreciation for the poem and the content that went into making my E-Poem.
Walkthrough:
The Citation video allowed me to explain to viewers exactly what aspects of my E-Poem were original and the intention behind my use of materials.
Ciation video:
Film Review: No Country For Old Men
After completing our E-Poems, the class shifted its attention back to literature. I had already seen No Country For Old Men but I had never read the book. I am grateful I did. Cormac McCarthy created a brilliantly dark and complex novel that explored morality and ethics in a way I had never seen before. The movie served the same purpose. When I created my film review I couldn't help but gravitate towards the ruthlessly principled and philosophical killer, Anton Chigurh. My goal was to establish the way each of these major characters views the ideals of morality, free will, and duty. In doing so I developed a newfound appreciation for both the filmmakers and Cormac McCarthy.
My face after watching this gruesome film repetively.
FILM REVIEW:
I'm excited to start discussing No Country for Old men in greater detail. It was even better the second time around. #ilit
— Nicholas T Long (@NicholasTLong2) March 8, 2016
In closing
It seems strange to talk about finality in this class. The entire semester has been an evolving project filled with new elements and endless edits. Sadly, there is a final due date in sight. I have learned more in this class than any other I’ve taken in UNC’s English department. Not only technical skills such as navigating Camtasia, I have truly developed a new way of understanding and presenting literature. Ultimately, this class has been an incredible growing experience. I hope you enjoy my portfolio.
I'm finishing up my portfolio and I cant believe how much original content we've made this year. #ilit
— Nicholas T Long (@NicholasTLong2) May 2, 2016