Generative Criticism: Janis Joplin, Women Is Losers

Janis Joplin’s “Women Is Losers” appeared on her 1967 album while with Big Brother and the Holding Company.  The song is suited to Generative Criticism because mixed messages within the lyrics create questions about Joplin’s intention, requiring deeper research and explanation.

After first listening to the song, the dominant message implies that ‘women is losers’.  Joplin’s howling vocals and quick lyrics leave only the repeated chorus, “women is losers” comprehendible.  The message however, does not match Joplin’s persona or influence.  Joplin transformed from a social outcast during her youth in Port Arthur, Texas, to a trailblazer for women in rock music after gaining fame in the San Francisco music scene of the late 1960s.  The ‘Queen of Rock and Roll’, Joplin broke the status female musicians held as novelty acts.  Her influence opened the doors for a new generation of female musicians in the 1970s: Carole King, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Janis Ian, (and later) Joan Jett…

So why does someone so empowering for women sing that ‘women is losers’.  Reading through the lyrics makes the song much more comprehendible.  Although not completely discernable through her wailing voice, the verses in fact question male dominance.  The line “Oh, they wear a nice shiny armor, until there is a dragon for to slay” implies that men’s behaviour is more ‘show’ than action.    With this in mind, the “women is losers” chorus is more a question of why women allow themselves to fall behind men (“men always seem to end up on top”), than as a statement.  The song functions then as a ‘call to arms’ for women, questioning why ‘women is losers’.  She questions a patriarchal society, asking “Why the hell there ain’t another way, oh!” (live version).

Although reading the lyrics answers questions about the song’s meaning, a meaning masked by poor enunciation, questions remain.  From a Neo-Aristotelian perspective (although not a speech) is the song effective when the delivery makes only the ‘women is losers’ clear and repetitive?  Without background information about the rhetor, would the song –if heard just once on the radio- be questioned for meaning beyond the chorus?

From an ideological perspective, how effective is the song at promoting feminism?  Do the verses outweigh the chorus enough to the average listener?  Is enough justification made for female empowerment?

Finally, I think an understanding of the song would benefit from a deeper understanding of Joplin.  Why did she choose such a demeaning chorus?  What critical reaction did the song receive in 1967?  Did people understand the deeper message embedded in poorly enunciated vocals?

Pentadic Criticism: Sherlock Holmes Trailer

The 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie trailer provides a tease towards the ensuing action and mystery in the film.  Analyzing the trailer into the elements of the pentad reveals that Sherlock Holmes is the most relevant agent.  Solving a crime involving the mysterious ‘sorcerer’ Lord Blackwood serves as the act.  The agency through which Holmes accomplishes his act involves violence and deducing information from clues.  The scene occurs in a gritty historical version of London, England.  Holmes’ purpose in acting is driven from the thrill of the chase and the stimulation of solving the mystery.

Of the 5 pentad elements, the actor –Sherlock Holmes- serves as the most controlling.  His enigmatic personality, wit, and detective skills drive his actions, the manner in which he acts, the scenes and situations he puts himself in, and his curiosity for solving crimes.  It is Holmes’ unique characteristics, and pop culture status as a character which set the trailer apart from other mystery action movies.

There is also argument, however, that agency drives the trailer.  How Holmes performs his act –through thrilling violence, and clever deduction- controls the other elements.  It breaks down to a matter of: is Holmes’ enigmatic personality controlling his agency, or is his agency what gives him an enigmatic personality?

Burke’s philosophy corresponding with agent is that of idealism  -that the subject determines their surrounding, and that what you see depends upon the lens of the viewer.  With agency Burke links pragmatism –that accomplishing the goal (solving the crime) is the ultimate goal, and how you perform the action determines everything else.  When looking at it from these philosophies, agency pulls ahead as the determining element in the trailer.  How Holmes’ solves crimes –the violence, wit, and deduction- is what the trailer tries to bring across as the most engaging reason to view the film.  While some may view the film because of the character’s pop culture status, the trailer seeks to draw in those looking for a thrilling action movie –hence the focus on violence in the trailer.  Therefore, agency is the determining element, because the rhetor is focusing on how Holmes solves the crime as determining the remaining elements and setting the movie apart.

Jethro Tull: My God. Fantasy-Theme Criticism

People — what have you done —
locked Him in His golden cage.
Made Him bend to your religion —
Him resurrected from the grave.
He is the god of nothing —
if that’s all that you can see.
You are the god of everything —
He’s inside you and me.
So lean upon Him gently
and don’t call on Him to save you
from your social graces
and the sins you used to waive.
The bloody Church of England —
in chains of history —
requests your earthly presence at
the vicarage for tea.
And the graven image you-know-who —
with His plastic crucifix —
he’s got him fixed —
confuses me as to who and where and why —
as to how he gets his kicks.
Confessing to the endless sin —
the endless whining sounds.
You’ll be praying till next Thursday to
all the gods that you can count.

NOTE:  Before anyone gets offended, please realize that is not my intention.  I am in no way supporting or denying the rhetorical vision of this artifact, simply analyzing it.

My God is a very opinionated track, forming the basis for side two of Jethro Tull’s 1971 album Aqualung.  While side one deals with the homeless character Aqualung, side two tackles religion.

Coding for fantasy themes finds most importance placed on characters and their actions, with little focus on setting.  Three main characters emerge: people (implied to be Christians), God, and the Church of England.

The people’s actions involve manipulating God for their own use (“locked him in a golden cage”, “made him bend to your religion”), and both revering and relying upon him (“lean upon him gently”, “praying till next Thursday…”).

The Church of England serves as a character because it shows human-like qualities.  The uncompromising description makes the Church an important character to consider when understanding the rhetorical vision.  Described not as a pure institution, but rather as “the bloody Church of England –in chains of history” the Church’s character is presented as sinful and antiquated.  Consider also the aforementioned ‘people’ can be considered a sub-component of the Church of England’s character, as they are the followers comprising its existence.  In this way the Church of England takes on the people’s manipulative actions.

The character of God has limited action.  He is described as “resurrected from the grave”, but under the implication that people have assigned him this action.  God’s lack of action speaks volumes for the song’s larger message that God is manipulated by people, and not through his own tangible actions.  God is described as both “the God of nothing…” and “the God of everything”.  This direct contradiction may serve as an analogy for the contradictions of religion the album questions.  However, there may also be meaning (again attacking the church), that “You are the god of everything, He’s inside you and me” implies God is everywhere and not accessible only through the institution of the church.

Fantasy-Theme Criticism uncovers a very narrow, slanted message within My God.  I reiterate my intention not to offend anyone, I simply wanted to pick apart the song to better understand how it functions.  The rhetorical vision of the song surrounds the notion that God is manipulated by people for their own use.  The song never questions God’s existence, or shuns those who follow him.  God is in many ways envisioned as a manipulated victim, one bended to religion and locked in a cage.  I don’t think Ian Anderson is questioning God, merely questioning the Church of England’s use of God.

Metaphor Criticism: Pink Floyd, Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there’s a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom,
blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter,
come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision,
rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

Released on their 1975 album Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond is a Pink Floyd song packed full of metaphors.  The song is largely tagged as a tribute to Pink Floyd’s former bandmate Syd Barrett.  Barrett is highly regarded as a pioneer of psychedelic rock, and for his founding role in Pink Floyd.  However, his years in the music business were cut short as he suffered from mental illness and the pressures of fame.  As rock legend has it, Barrett arrived unexpected in the studio during the album’s recording: overweight and with hair (including eyebrows) shaved off.  The context, and meaning behind the song are especially useful for a metaphor criticism; helping to piece together what the metaphors represent.

The notion of light is the strongest metaphor used throughout the song.  The word shine is used six times, the phrase ‘you shone like the sun’, and the notion of a diamond (sparkling light), are all used to create this metaphor.  Light is typically associated with warmth, beauty, happiness and health; a positive worldview Pink Floyd is trying to encourage for Barrett.

Note the contrast created in with the line “Now there’s a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky”.  Here the light the song implies should be shining on Barrett, is contrasted with darkness (black holes) to represent his state at the time.  The metaphor of having black holes in his eyes is likely a metaphor for the ‘void’ they were witnessing within Barrett’s mental capacity and friendship.

War is another metaphor seen within the song, and album as a whole.  The song describes being ‘caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom’.  Using a war term –crossfire- implies the battle and vulnerability of crossing into the fame and expectations of the music business (something Barrett struggled with).  Within the context of album, which challenges record companies authenticity and connection to musicians (see ‘Welcome to the Machine’ & ‘Have a Cigar’), the use of war metaphors to describe crossing into the music industry packs extra punch.  Record companies are showcased in a negative light throughout the album: visualized in a war against musicians and likened to ‘machines’ riding ‘the gravy train’.  The song and album are packed full of metaphors, leaving much more to be explored with metaphor criticism.

Narrative Criticism: Citi Thank You Credit Card Commercial

The commercial was aired in the fall of 2011 for the Citi Bank Thank You credit card, with which users can earn points towards travel.  The commercial’s objective is to encourage action, specifically towards obtaining and using this credit card.

The strongest feature the commercial uses towards reaching its objective is cause-and-effect.  Cause-and-effect relationships are portrayed twice within the 30 seconds.  The first example begins as the advertisement opens with the main character using her Citi Thank You card to purchase supplies for the trip (note the pause on the card), followed by images of her fantastic climbing trip.  Although exaggerated, the message is that she was able to go on this trip because she used her Citi card to purchase the supplies.  The next cause-and-effect message is very strong.  Note the line (13 seconds in), “…with all the thank you points I’ve been earning, I flew us to the rock I really had in mind”.  Here the narrator creates a direct, strong connection between using the card and because of the card and its points being able to take the trip.

Setting is an important feature in the commercial; a combination of breathtaking views and extraordinary climbing.  There are two scene groupings in the commercial: using her credit card at the store, and climbing in the beautiful setting.  Note how simplified the scene change is, which speaks to the cause-and-effect relationship the advertisement implies.  The story is simplified down to the notion of: use the card, have an amazing trip.  There are not airport hassles, long plane rides, or years of training shown.

The main character serves as the narrator.  Her ability as an extremely skilled climber gives her a role of authority.  She is a hero as she mounts the climb, and surely we should take credit card advice from such a leader.  However, it could be argued that maybe her skills appear too good to be true.  Check out this CNN report on the commercial, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-hW4AOC0c4  Apparently the audience had a hard time believing the climb was attainable.  Internet chatter ensued, and perhaps our main character lost some credibility as her heroic deed was brought into question.  Yet again, bad publicity is still publicity.

UW’s Grad House as Georgian Architecture

http://www.gsa.uwaterloo.ca/house/

Located on a grassy hill near South Campus Hall, the Grad House holds historic significance for the University as the original farmhouse on campus.  Present at the founding of the University, the Grad House now serves as an exclusive meeting place for graduate students.

The Georgian style of architecture was common from the 1780s to the 1860s.  OntarioArchitecture.com claims that: “Georgian houses are generally so well built that they are virtually unchanged 200 years later”; a testament to the Grad House’s permanence.

According to the Ontario Architecture Style Guide (http://www.env.uwaterloo.ca/research/hrc/documents/Heritage%20Resources%20Centre%20Architectural%20Styles%20Guide.pdf, pg. 3), the Georgian style is characterised by: symmetry; 2-3 storeys; brick, stone or clapboard façade; a hip roof (sloped on all four sides) or end gable roof (sloped along the length); and a single door, plain, centred entrance.  The Grad House fits these characteristics well.  Although the Grad House is not perfectly rectangular, the main façade embodies symmetry by mirroring windows on the left and right side.  The centre door balances the visual weight of both sides in the main façade.

The Buildings of Canada guide (http://www.historicplaces.ca/media/7173/buildingsofcanada.pdf, pg. 6) further explains the Georgian style containing: end chimneys, usually inset; balanced facades; 3,5, or 7 bays; centre doors; and occasionally Palladian windows.  The Grad house does not have a pair of end chimneys, but instead one conforming to the inset characteristic.  The symmetrical windows described above match the 3 bay description.  Palladian windows have a rectangular base window with a half-circle window placed directly above; seen on the first floor pair of windows on the Grad House.

The Grad House is not an exemplary example of the Georgian style.  It does however fit the Georgian style of architecture more than any other.  Although the main front façade of the Grad House meets Georgian standards, Georgian homes are typically very rectangular without additional blocks protruding from the sides and back- as is the case with the Grad House.

(Interesting Note: Mennonite Georgian is a deviation of Georgian characterised by full-width front porches.  Brubacher house on campus (between the playing fields and technology park) is considered an excellent example of the Mennonite Georgian style.)

Cluster Criticism: The Golden Girls

Running from 1985-1992, the Golden Girls was a highly rated TV sitcom which received numerous awards.  The show revolved around the lives of four older women living in Miami, Florida as roommates.

The images featured in the Golden Girls opening theme depict opposing ideas: conflict and tension versus stability and friendship.  The images of tension revolve mainly around one character.  Throughout the sequence Dorothy is seen throwing her hands up in frustration, smacking Blanche, biting her fist, (playfully) chocking Rose, and pushing Rose into a closet.  However, interspersed between these images of conflict are scenes of friendship: hugging, smiling and conversation.  These contrasting images shown back-to-back demonstrate that friendship requires work.

Friendship is another key, seen in images of the women happily together, and heard throughout the theme song.  “Thank you for being a friend” is a very powerful message of the song (repeated twice and with vocal emphasis), clustered within friendship terms such as ‘pal’ and ‘confidant’.  The images of friendship work together with the song about friendship to put a positive spin on the scenes of tension –making the scenes of conflict appear playful and gentle.  In sum the opening sequence leaves the impression of friendship, and the scenes of conflict as slap-stick comedy.

The home is another theme, with all images (spare the opening two to set the location) based within the home.  This plays to the gendered image of women staying at home, with no credit given to any possible workplaces or leisure outside the home.

Neo-Aristotelian: Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is a television sitcom based around 4 highly intellectual friends.  In this second season episode (‘The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem’) Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) has been coerced into presenting a speech to prospective graduate students, encouraging them into his department of theoretical physics.  As a child prodigy with two PhDs his character bursts with self-admiration.  He has no interest in these young students, nor any desires to have them enter his department; a sentiment evident in his speech’s style and purpose.

Sheldon’s disinterest in his audience is very clear in his style.  The language he uses is very simple and non-technical considering that his audience consists of university students with some interest in physics.  ‘Age’ is a recurring theme in his short speech, as he contrasts his accomplishments at a young age (being a graduate student at 14), with their advanced age and likelihood of eventually teaching grade five students simple science.  Obvious in his language use is the continual flow of insults towards his audience; confirming to himself his own superiority and their inability to ever measure up to his standards or work in his department.

The Delivery is perhaps the most comical aspect of Sheldon’s speech.  A contrast is formed between his professional appearance (suit, good posture) and his behaviour.  His public hesitation to perform (as he hides in the closet), and impromptu presentation makes clear his contempt for his audience and disinterest in fulfilling the organizer’s goal of enticing students into the department.

Sheldon’s goal was not as the event organizers intended, but rather to dissuade prospective students.  For the majority of his audience he was successful, clear on the bewildered faces of his audience and later comment that “he made a grad student throw up”.  The episode does go on to reveal one inspired student (note: more inspired by his work than his speech).  However, this is more of a comical contrast, in which the student is overtly portrayed as insane to be moved by Sheldon’s work.  For the viewing audience, the speech perpetuates the character’s contempt for ‘less intelligent’ people and self-superiority.  The overall goal of the show –reflected in this speech- is comedy: successfully attained.