AP/HUMA1625 9.

0A
Fantasy & Topographies of Imagination
Sherry Rowley | Dion Tubrett | Section 03
Critical Thinking/Learning Portfolio
Lorraine Yeung
April 4th, 2014

The Dominant Fantasy of Identity & Metamorphosis and Transformation in Analysis of

materials: Because She Was a Lesbian and Intersexuality From a Critical Skills Perspective:
Cognitive Dissonance & Praxis
In this paper I will make use of two themes which are the dominant fantasy of identity,
and metamorphosis and transformation in my analysis of the materials Because She Was a
Lesbian by Nym Hughes and the short film Intersexuality. The purpose of this discussion is to
reason that while identity is commonly considered to be shaped as a personal choice, it is clear,
through cognitive dissonance and praxis that several other factors may need to be considered.
For example cognitive dissonance and praxis elucidates how ones environment can play a part
in shaping identity and unfortunately external societal elements can cause damage to ones
position/role in society. By environment I am especially speaking on how society plays a role in
shaping identity rather than it being a personal choice. In this discussion the margins of
who/where an individual belongs in society will be positioned when considering the dominant
fantasy of identity which speaks upon what is considered normal in terms of sexual identity,
and of what is mythologized as the ideal. I hope to dismiss the widely held belief that, while
identity has been shaped in society as personal choice, this pseudo-theory may indeed be false.
Society plays a role in not only shaping, but dictating the very behaviours that shape identity.
I will also write about metamorphosis and transformation as a response to sociallyconstructed cues of identity. The intent of my analysis is also to focus on using the critical skills
which are cognitive dissonance and praxis in order to offer an investigative perspective with
respect to the underlying themes presented in Intersexuality and Because She Was a Lesbian.

What is identity? Identity can be several elements that individuals classify themselves
with such as groups and categories they affiliated themselves with, or the very beliefs they
conform with that expresses their individuality. Gender is a part of ones identity because it
represents ones inner sense of conscious knowledge which identifies them with being male or
female. Similarly, sexuality is also part of ones identity; sexual identity may also be known as
sexual orientation. Of whom someone is attracted to sexually, romantically, physically or
mentally are all components of ones sexual identity. As it goes with the process of selfidentification, you are essentially putting yourself in a category and confirming or disconfirming
whether the certain identification suits you. Self-identification is your own responsibility.
However the dominant fantasy of identity seems to mythologize what is considered an ideal
identity, taking precedence over what is considered acceptable and normalized by people in
society. By the processes of categorization and making general assumptions that the binary idea
applies to all, many margins are created that excludes those who do not fit in with the criteria of
what is considered normal and as a result an other is created.
Intersexuality is a very sensitive topic, I say this because it challenges binary
understandings of gender. Most people in society accept sexual identity as binary- either female
or male but fail to recognize the in-between. Intersex individuals are born androgynous and
therefore their bodies do not conform to largely-held ideas of social expectations; the
expectations being the idea of the binary opposites which delineate the female and male as
separate categories/entities. It is important to recognize the difference between sex and gender:
sex identifies a person by their sexual organs (i.e gonads, penis, vagina, etc.) while gender
identifies a person according to the titles female or male. Of course this is largely speaking as the
normative expectationhowever intersex individuals do exist and therefore it is important to

address the differences. At birth, when an intersexed individual is introduced with both sex
organs it somehow disqualifies them from being accepted in society because they are
androgynous. You can see how intersexed individuals may experience identity confusion and
discrimination. Having neither female or male as a title may prompt an individual to undergo
metamorphic changes and transformation in order to fit the criteria of a binary female or male
just so they can fit in to society. The same can be said for LGBT individuals as the excerpt stated
Lesbians are punished by social isolation (Hughes, 1985). Perhaps, any lesbian being
presented with more masculinity, for example, eliminates the cognitive dissonance and
challenges one may face in society. The proof of ones identity being socially controlled can be
found in the early stages of an individuals life. While young children may not be able to tell the
difference at first, gender identity is developed in early childhood and can be influenced by many
things such as parental practice, societal influences and by puberty. As you may recall in your
childhood, girls were paired with feminine entities and girly toys, while boys seemed to enjoy
activities that were considered masculine and action-packed. Of course these binary pairings
are only culturally and socially constructed. Who is to say that girls cannot enjoy the same thing
that boys are in to (or vice-versa?) Certainly there seems to an unsaid rule that society implies
and outlines what is considered normal and natural. If a boy plays with Barbie dolls, for
example, one may regard this as not normal. These entities can be seen as clear examples of
social control. Not much of this theory changes even as an individual ages since society instills a
message in our minds that being intersexed is not normal or that being gay is a sin, for
example. However a person with a conscious inner sense is able to decide for themselves what
they perceive as right or wrong. Perhaps it is during the point when a person consciously
develops a cognitive dissonance. It is also perhaps when puberty hits that some individuals may

feel a certain cognitive dissonance towards their own identity. It is inevitable that a person will
undergo puberty and hormonal changes as they age. What is cognitive dissonance and how does
it relate to identity construction? Cognitive dissonance is a conflict between what an individual
believes in and how they behave/act. Often times the differences are so notable to the point
which a person may consider praxis. Praxis is undergoing self-reflexion due to cognitive
dissonance and may further include pursuits of action for change. It is also the ability to plan and
implement change.
Identity is not a personal choice and I will feed in to this theory using examples from
Intersexuality. In Intersexuality we see many cases of intersex persons medically assigned to a
definitive sex (and gender) using surgical procedures and hormone treatments. By disrupting the
natural process of metamorphosisthat is, interfering with the bodys natural biological and
physiological growth cycle, the recipients of the treatments are transformed in to a desired (or
even undesired) state. As many of the recipients underwent treatment without consent they are
faced to live with the consequences of the procedures for the rest of their lives. Why was the
decision made in the first place? One quote I found suggests that The impetus to control
intersexual deviance stems from cultural tendencies toward gender binarism, homophobia, and
fear of difference (Butler 1990, 1993). As with one case, a gender assignment decision was
made during infancy and we learned that - not only does this eliminate ones choice of praxis, but
the end result was rather harmful. Furthermore intersexuality is born to an individual not by
choice, but for some reason it is stigmatized. Perhaps the parents thought it would eliminate the
differences in order to avoid their child from being bullied, but perhaps it could also be the
impetus to conform to normative expectations. Unfortunately intersex is seen as a disruption in
society and without medical alteration it may lead an individual in to alienation and isolation. In

Intersexuality, the mother of a young intersex child consented to her sex-reassignment, even
though she appears to identify as male. I suspect that the decision-makers went ahead with their
resolution because they were driven in to a mode of thinking motivated by societal influences
and by the dominant fantasy of identity. In contrast I would like to analyze the excerpt Because
she was a Lesbian since there was much evidence to suggest that members of the LGBT
community are subject to many social discrepancies. Gays who experience involuntary same sex
desires may feel a certain cognitive dissonance in the form of guilt, sometimes due their place in
society through feelings of unacceptance and difference from their peers. They may attempt to
normalize the doublethink they are subjected to, which can cause more confusion rather than
clarification. That is to say, to accept their identity, they may undergo praxis in order to seek an
alternative to their struggle. Their closure may come through forms of transformation, also
known as self-mutilation. I want to briefly touch upon cognitive dissonance and its effects of
religion beliefs, but not rely on it because it is also a sensitive topic. According to the Bible, God
created the binary female and male; this image is rooted within us. Cognitive dissonance is then
introduced if an individual finds that they like a person of the same gender or maybe even both
genders, which is seen as unmoral, wrong, and abnormal in society. Furthermore messages
rooted in the dominant fantasy of identity may prompt an individual to conform to a
heteronormative relationship which causes one to raise contradictory beliefs. I would like to
point out a very argument presented by Melvin (2010); praxis and actions such as transformation
can work in ways to reduce dissonance that enables self-justification (and more important a
coping mechanism) which is important in allowing one to confirm or disconfirm pre-existing
beliefs. I raise these very points to show that in specific circumstances, undergoing praxis may
act as closure and self-justification for one struggling with the dominant fantasies of identity.

However praxis is quite ambiguous as it may also pose as a risk to individuals such is the case of
the young (now) girl in Intersexuality. Therefore one must approach praxis with practical
judgement in a wise and prudent manner.
Works Cited:
Butler, Judith. 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New
York: Routledge.
Bulter, Judith. 1993. Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of "Sex." New York:
Routledge.
Hughes, Nym. Excerpt from Because She Was a Lesbian. In Still Sane. Persimmon
Blackbridge and Sheila Gilhooly. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers, 1985. 82-83.
Melvin, J. (2010). Cognitive dissonance and its effects on religious beliefs. Liberty
University, Lynchburg, Virginia, United States of America.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Propaganda & Models for Change in Analysis of Materials: Tactics and Techniques &
Bowling for Columbine from a Critical Skills Perspective: The ability to recognize the context
in which author is located (including the intended audience)
What are similarities between Tactics and Techniques and the documentary Bowling for
Columbine? It may be that both materials heavily promote the use of propaganda by inducing
emotions of fear among masses in order to seek change. However, Bowling for Columbine, as
was just mentioned, is a documentary after all. How does a documentary and propaganda relate?
Are they even interconnected? If so what under what criteria is Bowling for Columbine
considered propaganda? These are several worthwhile questions I will address in my analysis in
order to prove the effectiveness of propaganda in its pursuit of action for change. In doing so I
will also use the critical skill which is the ability to recognize the context in which the author is

located (including the intended audience). Firstly I would like to define propaganda, and what is
meant by change. Then I will introduce a useful survival strategy that has been mentioned by
Sherry in the Power of Words and Images lecture. By the end of this discussion I hope to
generate an articulate meaning behind the underlying themes and alternate perspective which
might not have been profound otherwise.
The first piece of text I am going to examine is Tactics and Techniques. It is blatantly
obvious that propaganda is the underlying theme of this text. What are characteristics of
propaganda? What are elements that make propaganda effective? Propaganda can be expressed
in many forms such as poster advertising to speech campaigns which are especially effective due
to the power of language and speech. I say this because the delivery of speeches can induce more
emotion and can reach it to its audience in a way that is more direct and personal, as opposed to
art which is free for interpretation. This is why slogans are present on posters. Still, written word
is far less effective than speech with passionate tone and emotion. For propaganda to be effective
it must be simple, limited to a few points, and repetitive. It is not so much the context that is
important but its ability to invoke emotions among the masses. The more connected one feels
towards a matter, the more they feel a sense of belonging and thus their support for the matter is
strengthened. Effective propaganda may have all the qualities as mentioned above, but what
good is a leader without any followers? At whom is the propaganda being directed to? We know
that Hitlers proposal for propaganda is to manipulate the masses and intended audience which
are the supporters he seeks to gain:
The first task of propaganda is to win people for subsequent organization; the first task of
organization is to win men for the continuation of propaganda. The second task of
propaganda is the disruption of the existing state of affairs and the permeation of this

state of affairs with the new doctrine, while the second task of the organization must be
the struggle for power, this to achieve the final success of the doctrine (Hitler, pp 1067).
When we locate the context in which the author is located in, we can see why
propaganda was so important to Hitler. It was his model for change during post-WWI era when
he sought for supporters of his political party. James R. Martin, a documentary film reviewer,
compares propaganda and documentaries. Martin poses that propaganda has the ability to skew
reality, actuality, and facts to present an alternative fantasy of reality that is false (Martin,
2011); simply put it is a distortion of reality. I will be careful when I speak of reality because
we have to consider - what is reality and whose reality is being presented? It is considered
an uncritical term. To answer the question I can only offer my insight and I will use previous
points that can be found in my 8th Response paper. I perceive that the reality of this context
was that, during the time in which the author and audience are located there was a struggle for
power and disparity for change. This is what I refer to as their reality. Whose reality is being
represented then are those who surround the situation; in this case it is Hitler and his intended
audience.
What is so frightening, however, is that the material may sometimes be misleading,
mask power and not reveal its hidden agenda. This may mean that people who support Hitler
may greatly underestimate his power or even his very intent in the first place. The means to
move a nation forward, as those who fail to imagine propose, may cause more destruction rather
than good. In contrast, I will use this exact theory to discuss and highlight Michael Moores
documentary Bowling for Columbine. Sometimes we fail to imagine that even though
materials are being presented to us as a documentary; it does not necessarily mean we should

believe all the facts that are presented. We must be especially careful when considering
material presented to us through the media. Perhaps what we need is something of raw material,
genuine interaction and something that seeks sincerity and truth. What I just described was a
documentary. But this is not to say that documentaries are any better than the media, and neither
is it realistic either. Many critics have believed that Bowling for Columbine was introduced as
propaganda rather than a documentary. I, too, have been enlightened to the fact. I examined
Bowling for Columbine in a recent response paper, but had only critiqued it as a documentary.
What prompted me to look at the material otherwise? And what are the reasons to back up this
claim? Moores intent was to raise awareness regarding gun violence and because he is an
accomplished filmmaker a documentary seemed like a proper way to deliver his message.
However, using the critical skill, I was able to locate the context in which the author was
located: I looked in to Moores biography and had also found that he is also a political activist.
When I made comparisons between Bowling for Columbine and Mein Kampf, quickly, I
questioned if Moores tactics were any different than those proposed by Hitler through
propaganda. The first obvious comparison I made was that of the notion of fear which was both
present in Hitler and Moores works. As Professor Sherry has mentioned in lecture during week
5, the notion of fear and terror works as an element/component that drives us in to paranoia,
especially in the dominant fantasy of the West. We fear of several things, but among the top of
the list we fear that the human race will spin out of control; this is where power and control come
in to the picture and within it, attempts for change.
Whether it was to gain followers or raise a point, Moore and Hitler were both
manipulative because their objective was one-sided and biased. In his documentary, Moore had
misled the audience with false facts and manipulative tactics. When we are told of statistics over

the course of the movie, do we have a device on standby just to confirm whether these statistics
are correct? How many people failed to realize that, when Moore had said America has more gun
violence than Canada, he also forgot to mention the population difference? Americas obsession
over guns is not the correct message to deliver; rather it is Americas failure to imagine and
failure to recognize the context in which the author is located. Moore tried to pass on false facts
as real even when they are not. In a similar comparison to Hitlers tactics, Moore also tries to
invoke emotion amongst his viewers. It is no surprise that the fear tactic was used to inflict
change. I also found proof that the material is unquestionably biased. Again, considering the
context in which the production of the film took place, I knew that Moore is experienced in
knowing how to move an audience. He is dubbed one of Americas most fearless (political)
commentators by New York Times. To his advantage he was able to demolish truth, and prime
an audience successfully through his enthusiasm and passion (it was quite contagious). It is true
he may be genuinely concerned with gun violence, as another piece of evidence suggests Moore
had planned to derail Bushs eventual re-election (Deming, 2010) and his involvement with the
Iraqi war efforts. But more increasingly, as I looked in to his background, the dividing edge
between propaganda and documentary became very thin.
Was Moore stirred by a motive? I would say yes. Was Hitler moved by a motive? I
would also say yes. Their successes of change were due to: 1) their marketing strategies through
propaganda 2) and was further driven by their motives. Consider the context in which both
productions took place. When you promote or publicize a point of view to a target audience do
you target people of intelligence, or do you steer the attention towards those who are in a
position of naivety, those who fail to imagine, and those who are fearful and anxious? And if
they are not already, you may mimic tactics like Hitler and Moore has done to steer them towards

that direction. The same people who have fallen for the facts of this documentary would have
fallen for propaganda. Hitler and Moore both had a vision to impose change, each in different
ways, but had effectively done so through the same tactics. It is important to consider the context
in which the author and the audience are located because naturally, human senses are easily
deceived. Although propaganda is subtle in its agenda and has hidden intents, there is really no
secret behind Hitler and Moores motive if you recognize the context and the location they are in.
You must also be responsible for your place and avoid falling under the trap of manipulative
tactics, misleading information and falsely advertised facts.
I want to end this discussion with a survival tactic that Sherry has mentioned in the fifth
lecture; the equation is simply survival = fear x consumption. Fear is the foundation for
consumption. There is so much fear that is inflicted upon us in the world that we freeze in our
tracks, and let it consume us. In Bowling for Columbine, consider why was there no resistance
against the gunmen? I want to bring up the case of the Montreal Massacre at Lcole
Polytechnique To what I recall of my knowledge, and also witnesses have suggested that no one
resisted the gunman. What would have happened differently if a mass of people resisted? What
could be a model for change, if any at all?
Works Cited:
Hitler, A., & Manheim, R. (1971). Mein kampf. pp 106-7. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Martin, J. R. (2011). Create documentary films, videos, and multimedia. (3rd ed.). Real
Deal Press. New York City, New York.
Rowley, S. (2013). The power of words and images. Personal Collection of Sherry
Rowley, York University, Toronto, Ontario.

Deming, M. (2010). Michael Moore biography movies & tv. The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/103383/Michael-Moore/biography
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Dominant Fantasy of Monsters & Sanity/Reasoning- Analysis of Materials: Hughes
Still Sane & Veronica Schanoes Rats from a Critical Skills ABILITY TO SYNTHESIZE
PERSPECTIVES
While I do not know much about Punk culture to begin with, of course I can only
speculate. Upon a quick glance through a Google search using the keywords punk culture I
already seem to get the picture without much depth of research. What do the bold outfits and
spiky hairdos tell me? Not to mention, the aggressive music, promiscuous sex, drugs to last a life
time, and anti-authoritarianism ideologies I could say that Punk definitely appears to be a
satirical and ferocious culture. But of course these are only assumptions. We briefly touched on
Punk icons in one of Sherrys lecture. Nancy Spungen and Sid Vicious were introduced in the
Rats discussion. The two lovers were glorified by the media because they gave them all the
reasons to be put in the spotlight. Nancy and Sid were stars of what appeared to be a fairy talelike love story, a gruesome one at that. I say this because they did not live a happily ever after.
Like any good, sappy fairy tale (subjective opinion) love was involved and the lovebirds were
ominously hyped by their fans for reasons I may never know.
Fairy tales, as Veronica Schanoes explains, follows a sequence: a beginning, middle and an
end and a story that constantly re-enacts itself.
All stories are lies, because stories have beginnings, middles and endings, narrative
arcs in which the end is the fitting and only mate for the beginning but life is not like
that there is no causality, there is no foreshadowing, no narrative tone or subtle tuned

metaphor to warn us about what is coming. And when somebody dies it is not
tragic.(Schanoes, pp311).
How can death not be tragic? Well, ignorance is a way to make things hurt less in the face of
death. A survival strategy can be defined in the following equation: survival = ignorance +
knowledge. Death, we may or may not accept, is inevitable; as is the suffering and grief that
likely comes with it. However, sometimes it is just easier to become ignorant when we come to
acknowledge facts that do not conform to our beliefs. In other words, whatever we choose not to
accept and believe, we may attempt to erase from our minds. Perhaps that is not the best route to
follow even though it is a form of survival. We should not make a habit out of this strategy in
order excuse ourselves from painful situations. But instead we can use our sanity and reasoning,
and suspension of judgment to make sense of a situation. At the base of this, we can first explore
the core assumptions. One can also ask: Can the story be told otherwise? And if so, how can it be
told otherwise? These critical skills act as a healthier alternative to ignorance. For that reason, I
will incorporate these skills in generating discussion on materials Rats and Still Sane.
Shortly after the time of Nancy Spungens death, the accused was quickly assumed none
other than her boyfriend Sid Vicious. Not long after her death, Sid was also found dead. His
death was ruled as a drug overdose. Of course this was no surprise because he was a known
recreational drug user and after all Sid and Nancy could not live without each other. A suicide
note found in Sids jean jacket entailed that [We] had a death pact, and I have to keep my half of
the bargain. Please bury me next to my baby. Bury me in my leather jacket, jeans, and
motorcycle boots Goodbye (Furek, 2008).
The tragic deaths of Sid and Nancy may be one of the most controversial among music
history. It was unclear as to who murdered Nancy as she had also frequently met with her drug

dealers, but in the end Sid Vicious was charged with her murder. This is what we know of their
story because these are the core assumptions. Everything makes sense, so it must be the truth.
Some core assumptions could be that Nancy has chosen this road on her own accord and along
the way she had also destroyed Sid, who was admired by so many people.
But what if the story was told otherwise? What if we stepped away from their insanity for a
moment and reasoned with alternatives to this version of the story? What if we suspended our
judgment? I will offer an alternative story to Rats in attempt to make my point clear.
Once upon a time, Nancy was a young, demonized and mentally ill girl. She was born with
the burden of monsters living within her; Rats as they were called were known to gnaw at her
soul. We dont know if Nancy had parents who ignored her existence which resulted in her
rebellion, or that maybe she had parents who cared too much. Anyway, the Rats that
consumed her were monsters. Nancy accepted her fatethat was to accept the monsters that
controlled her; she was helpless in fending them off because she thought was no match to them.
Nancy imposed this self-deception to make the situation more palatable. In her teenage years
Nancy fell in love with drugs and paraphernalia, and Nancy fell in love with Sid Vicious. Many
had accused Nancy of dragging Sid down the same road, or that they were more destructive
communally. Sid Vicious was also consumed by Rats. Nancy died a tragic death as a young
adult. A time not so long after Nancys death, Sid Vicious took his own life. The lovers lived a
happily never-after.
When you weigh the facts presented (thus making core assumptions) were Nancy and Sids
death an example of insanity or ignorance? Firstly one may speculate that mental illness and the
monster may be inextricably linked with each other. By monster, I do not mean the monster
under your bed. It is common the monster to be understood. When I mention monster I am

specifically talking about the monsters that exist in our minds. What creates the monster? Is it
societal pressures? Is it the ideological framework that has collapsed upon oneself? Is it the
conflicted self? There are two classes of the monster that I want to acknowledge: You may be
seen as a monster if 1) people cant relate to you 2) you feel irresponsible for your actions.
From a young age I was raised within the church. They can make you believe that monsters
cannot touch you. I considered myself a follower of God and a self-proclaimed Christian though
I was never really baptized. As I entered my teenaged years I had stopped going to church for
whatever reason. I found myself making more excuses and even questioning my faith at times.
At the same time I had felt a cognitive dissonance because in a way I felt bad that I wasnt
attending sermons anymore. Fast forward to present day, I am still somewhat conflicted with my
religious beliefs as I wouldnt call myself an Atheist but I am certainly nowhere near being the
devoted Christian that is expected of me. I recall one day not so long ago, my emotions got the
best of me or I should say, my monster. I started swearing up a storm and amongst me was a
friend who happens to be heavily religious. Based on her reaction I knew she uncomfortable and
she could not make sense of my situation with every other word being a swear word. My monster
was revealed and I was aware of it. I felt irresponsible for my actions, and I felt the presence of
the monster within myself. Desperate to change, I briefly underwent self-reflexion and quickly
agreed that the monster was the source of my troubles, but the monster was also the very thing I
created. I want to raise a perspective that steers away from the dominant fantasy of the monster:
Imagine outside of the dominant fantasy and use the skill of reason. Through this you may come
to grips that the monster is not a signifier of ones sanity. You can take sanity and reason in Still
Sane for example. When you compare the materials of Rats and Stille Sane, we understand that
both characters had been affected by a monster. However, in Rats Sid and Nancy displayed signs

of irrationality which would lead up to their death. On the other hand the main character featured
in Still Sane displayed signs of rationality which helps her achieve separation from her monster.
If you use a normal/pathological model to look at most people you confirm your worst
suspicions of weirdness Sheila, the girl from Still Sane who quoted this, shares that it was a
category of [my] own fault. My perspective on the situation is that the monster within her
made her feel trapped, punished and self-hating. She had internalized oppressions which limited
her thoughts on what acceptable behaviours are. Of course there are also societal pressures that
contribute to this. We learn that Sheila breaks out of her monstrous state by the end of the story.
And this is the thing that separates her from Sid and Nancy. We as humans have agency and thus
we possess the power to take responsibility if we realize the deeper implications of our action.
We must not judge those who have the monster within them.
Works Cited:
Blackbridge, Persimmon, and Sheila Gilhooly. Still Sane. Vancouver, BC: Press Gang
Publishers, 1985.
Furek, Maxim W. The death proclamation of generation x: a self-fulfilling prophesy of goth,
grunge and heroin. New York, N.Y. IUniverse. Print, 2008.
Schanoes, Veronica. Rats. Excerpt retrieved from Interfictions: an anthology of interstitial
writing. E Sherman, D., & Goss, T. Boston, MA: Interstitial Arts Foundation. Print. 2007.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Dominant Fantasy of Beauty and Mirrors- Analysis of Materials: Subversive Bodies,
Invented Selves & Mirrors from a Critical Skills Perspective: The Ability to
Paraphrase/Summarize Clearly the Ideas in the Material(s) Analysis
Body image has increasingly become an emotionally provocative topic as is described in
Subversive Bodies, Invented Selves by Victoria L. Pitts. More than ever before there has

certainly been more cultural/societal influences and criticism surrounding the topics of body
image. Body image is surrounded by many streams including (but of course not limited to) the
perception of body aesthetics, body modifiers, and self-mutilation. Why has this been the case?
All the ideas of body image, which are the dominant fantasies of body image, revolve around
what is socially acceptable and what is not, what is considered natural, and what is unnatural.
In a broad sense body image covers such a vast number of topics; therefore I will also use my
ability to summarize the ideas of the material in order to generate a clear understanding with
respect to the topic of body image as the invented self. Additionally I will analyze Mirrors
by Borges in my analysis of the theme of mirrors which inextricably links to our perceptions of
beauty and reflect and supports the dominant fantasy of beauty in the West.
To start off the paper I want to incorporate my own experiences and share my personal
opinion on my perception of body image. The first topic of discussion is on body aesthetics and I
would like to raise a question that I have asked myself frequently: As an athlete I spend close to
10 hours in the gym a week. The number of gym rats I have seen in the gym have increased
exponentially over the past few years. This jargon in and of itself describes a culture of its own.
You may have heard of these phrases: Do you even lift, bro? and I regularly hear of comments
such as Mirin the aesthetics, bro (the term mirin being short for admiring). That is when I
started asking: Do people work out more for the purpose of their health, or do people work out
because they want to look good? Maybe a little bit of both? This does not only apply to the male
gender; the fad and lifestyle has heavily transitioned amongst females. Body image and
aesthetics have seemed to surface dominantly as sexual imagery and has become a purpose to
become aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of others, rather than the purpose of satisfying
themselves. That is not to criticise the culture because it is always great to see that more people

working out in the gym. The main idea I am trying to summarize and articulate is that going to
the gym has perhaps turned in to pathologies of a questionable model. In fact some may even call
it an overall flawed model and damaged train of thought. The idea that body image is dominated
by aesthetics creates social order, and as a result people are categorized and judged. You can no
longer go to the gym, for example, without experience criticisms that fall along the levels of selfjudgment and judgment of others. Of course aesthetics is not the only stream under body image
(as I have mentioned above) there have been questions revolving around body modifications, and
self-mutilation. A recent article I read in the Toronto Star was titled Rob Forb seen Hitting it
hard in the Gym. It is sad to see how this is even considered a topic of interest in the media. I
actually accessed the link through my Facebook feed which was shared by three of my friends.
The article addresses Rob Ford working out with his supposed trainer which I quote Jerry
works out which, if you were to look at Jerry, youd know pretty easily. He works out and he
just happens to work out with the mayor (The Toronto Star, 2014). What I had interpreted from
the article was that Rob Ford was being mocked for his efforts to lose weight. And from what I
recall, when he had stopped working out earlier this year he was criticised for being lazy and
overweight. Of what criteria does one have to follow in order to be accepted socially? Again I
mention this because the ideas of body image revolve around what is socially acceptable. What is
the turmoil behind all of these ideologies? How do you even determine what your body image is
in the first place? Almost everywhere we go there is handy tool called a mirrormirrors work by
displaying our appearance amongst a reflective surface. One could say that it serves as a double.
But is it actually a double? How do you know, as you look in the mirror, that what you see is the
same way image that others interpret of you? Essentially we are left to our own devices to
interpret and reflect upon not only our physical appearances but the dominant fantasy of our

body image. It is through mirrors that is how we invent an image of the self. Or perhaps you may
even look at the reflection as the dominant fantasy as a reflection of yourself, your perceived or
invented self, and even your health.
Whichever way you choose to interpret your reflection, one may be inclined to make
comparisons within and outside of the self that may be comparisons of yourself to others, or
finding your place in society by conforming or disconfirming with societal norms. To consider
your place in society, you may reflect upon what is natural and what is unnatural. The definition
of what is considered natural is defined by society first, and then it is translated and reflected
by the dominant fantasy of mirrors. Lastly it is up to your own device to determine whether or
not you would like to accept or conform to these images.
So the next topic to consider is what is considered normal in society (that is the dominant
fantasy of the West)? Certainly it is not those of the dominant fantasy that reflect cultural
disaffection as mentioned in Subversive Bodies, Invented Selves. In fact, a detailed
description was outlined in the excerpt which describes body modification as a new social
problem of delinquency, sickness, and perversion (Pitts). Modifications to the body may reflect
forms of self-abuse and social disaffection, Pitts also mentions, and that these entities do not
conform to the ideal body image of Western norms that praise flawless skin. Notwithstanding are
those that are considered socially problematic within our society; any artificial defects against
the body is associated with social delinquency, etc.
I will end off with a quote that I will leave for interpretation. Your body is a temple, so why
not paint the walls?

Works Cited:
Stephanie, M. (2013). Rob Ford seen hitting it hard at the gym. The Toronto Star. Retrieved
from /news/city_hall/2013/11/20/rob_ford_seen_hitting_it_hard_at_the_gym.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Important of Names/Naming and the Patriarchal Formula in Analysis of Materials: She
Unnames Them & Gages Reminiscences of Sojouner Truth from a Critical Skills
Perspective: The ability to assess the value of an idea
Not too long ago one of my professors had sent an email to the class which addressed a topic
on proper e-mail etiquette. Within the email she stressed the importance of formal addressing-you may address me ONLY as Professor of Dr. followed by my last name. In which failure to
address her by first name would simply mean the e-mail will go answered. It was not until this
moment that I gave any though to the importance of names. It really made me question, why? It
was my cognitive estrangement; for a process that is so familiar to us it had never crossed my
mind until she mentioned it, and I was forced to find an answer in a new light. We discussed this
matter with our tutorial leader in the following week, who by the way, prefers to be addressed on
a first-name basis. I do not quite remember what he said although if I had to guess, it would have
something to do not only with personal preference, but some form of respect as well. The value
of formally-addressing I also thought had to do with power of some sort.
I assessed the importance of names in the materials She Unnames Them by Ursila LeGuin
and Gages Reminiscences of Sojouner Truth by Francis Gage. I critically analyzed the materials
by finding value in an idea. This idea being that, in the dominant fantasy in the West, a certain
type of struggle forms from when humans identify individuality in the form of names. Names
separate us from others in forms such as gender, class, and race.

In LeGuins short story She Unnames Them, we find that the main characters introduced
are Adam (the binary male of course, cant you tell by his name?) and Eve, the binary female.
The story also involves animals, and there is no real way of telling their gender by their name
not their pet name, but the name that labels them as individually as belonging to the same
species. It does not really matter if they are unnamed because animals are known to be lesser
than humans in terms of divinity. Certainly a yak would have no problem letting go of their
name. However what if it was your pet dog? The value in naming your pet dog identifies your
ownership of it. A dog, also known as mans best friend would understandably go through a
tough time of letting go of its name. But then you must question, if your pet dog is an animal,
what makes it any different than animals of its kind who reside in nature, other than its name? By
naming your pet it would make it seem as though they are far closer to the human kind than of it
is of its own kind. In a metaphorical comparison, lets say you find an abandoned baby bunny
from your garden and you take him under your wing. You name him Thumper and he has
become your pet. Thumper is not yours; Thumper belongs to Mother Nature you can see his
brothers and sisters running about in nature. If Thumper was taken away from you, you would be
very upset. Why is that the case? If Thumper was released in the wild, there would be no way to
identify him from his own kind unless he responded to you by name. You can see the power of
naming things; how it has the ability to separate one from another. Names are not meant to give
meaning to a person as insinuated in LeGuins text, but it is the way human claims whats theirs,
to hold power over one another, to separate oneself from a lesser being. The only thing that
separates Thumper from his herd is simply by his name. Yet Thumper is not considered a lesser,
but his own kind is considered a lesser and is othered all by virtue of a single title. The value in
names may be found in the ability you hold to control and distance others from you. In LeGuins

you see that by giving up her name, Eve is trying to close the distance between her and the
animals. Being the last without a name amongst the animals that have already been unnamed,
she feels some sort of distress since she gets to keep her name but the animals had to give theirs
back. Eve proceeds to give her name back to Adam: You and your father lent me thisgave it
to me, actually. Its been really useful, but it doesnt exactly seem to fit well lately. But thanks
very much! Its really been very useful (LeGuin, 1985). From what I interpreted as Adams
response, he was not attentively listening and frankly did not seem to care. Instead he forgoes the
patriarchal question Whens dinner? Adam does not understand nature because he has yet to
distant himself from names and he does not understand Eves purpose in giving up her name.
LeGuin outlines the too-familiar experience of masculine deafness to womens voice (Adams
& Donovan, 1995). Eves attempt to reverse the hierarchy is displayed through the action of
giving up her name. In the dominant fantasy of the West, we accept the idea of male indifference
to women because we see it as the cultural truth. We fail to imagine outside the boundaries of
dominant fantasy in the Western world which patriarchal societies are so heavily entrenched
within. Our failures of imagination do not allow us see past the dominant fantasy which shake up
the realities of the dominant culture. Names create hierarchies which can be destructive as is the
case in both She Unnames Them and Gages Reminiscences of Sojourner Truth.
By names I do not mean that you are addressing someone by the title given to them during
birth. For example when I speak of animals that are unnamed, they are considered those who are
not formally addressed. Animals by default are automatically placed lower on the great chain of
being. It is not the name in itself that defines an individuals worth, rather, you can see as
insinuated through LeGuins short story how one can still be an individual without being trapped
in a communal way of living. You call Judge Judy by Your Honour just how I call my mother

Mom and not by Winnie. The value in the idea that names create hierarchies allows room for
negativities in society such as patriarchy, supremacy and feeling of power over one another. For
a practice that is so common amongst us all, the values of naming something usually go
unnoticed.
In Sojourners Truth, black women, or niggers as they may be named, are dominated as a
category that is othered by the power of names. Black women are suppressed for their colour
by their skin and their gender. If a woman is named black one could take it even further by
naming them a black female and so they are now doubly oppressed. In this situation not only
are black women retrained to sexist patriarchal terms but they are also subjected to racism as
well. In order to defend their worth and value from the dominant fantasy and undervalued power
of names, black women would have to fight more vigorously. Perhaps they may do this first, by
unnaming themselves as slave property. The value of unnaming oneself just as Eve unnames
herself, proves that one may benefit from closing the distance between themselves on the
hierarchy and social order. In the dominant fantasy of the Western world, the differences between
males and females have been constructed to permit males to be seen as dosminant over females.
This notion is also known as the patriarchal formula which according to Sherrys lecture she
states: girls first belonged to their father and then their husbands (Rowley, 2013). The value of
the idea in naming stems from the system of binaries where the dominant fantasy tells us you can
only be one or the other. All the other meanings then become silenced (shown in LeGuins text)
or so-called othered (in Gages text). I am specifically speaking of the women in both LeGuin
and Gages texts. This especially feeds in to the notion of the patriarchal formula because the
dominant fantasy serves as a template that distorts the clearer picture of meanings In both

LeGuin and Gages texts, it is shown that powerful systems, such as patriarchy, can be subverted
if one simply takes value in unnaming.
Works Cited:
Adams, C. J. & Donovan, J. Animals and Women. Duke University Press. Durham, NC. 11
January 1995.
LeGuin, U. K. She Unnames Them. The New Yorker, New York. 21 January 1985.
Rowley, S. (2013). Fantasies of Science: On Science, Speculative/Science Fictions and
Utopias/Dystopias. Lecture conducted from York University, Toronto, ON.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Dominant Fantasy of Science and The Dominant Fantasy of Maps in Analysis of Materials:
Of Exactitude of Science + Incognita Inc. & Terror and Eurebus from a Critical Skills
Perspective: Developing awareness of your location/perspective & Wonderment and taking
things for granted affect distance and analyze.
In the lecture outline of the Cartography of Fantasy: On Maps,
Exploration, "Discoveries" and "the West" lecture, Sherry revisits the notion
(also a term in the lexicon) of what the Dominant Fantasy is. The
upbringing of this topic was important for the lecture so I will reiterate the
definition for the purpose of this discussion. I will discuss the dominant
fantasies of maps and science which I have found useful in my quest to
address the importance of perspectives when thinking about what a
dominant fantasy is. What is meant by the dominant fantasy and why is it
in important with regards to this specific discussion? Firstly, it is important to
conceptualize what is meant by fantasy. For this portion I have referred
back to Sherrys sample notes on the course website. Sherry has mentioned

previously that fantasy, being the main thesis of this course, is not to be
looked at as a genre of its own rather we should understand it in multiple
forms. That is: how people imagine and give meaning to their experiences
(Rowley, 2014). Our dominant fantasies are molded by the culture we are
immersed in, and our fantasies largely consist of what the majority of people
deem to be truth due to the dominant ideas that surround a culture (in
other words what is most largely believed). My thought is that fantasies are
especially appropriate for people who take matters too harshly. We can offer
an alternative model of an idea simply know as alternative fantasies in this
course, which help us shape or resist what we believe are the realities of
Western culture, as Sherry explains.
Science is used to explain, predict and control nature as suggested by
Francis Bacon. This was defined according to the dominant fantasy of his
time which was almost 500 years ago yet even in present day he is still
considered Father of Science. Science has certainly progressed over the
centuries as it moved away from the reliance of tradition as a basis for
understanding. It has been contemporized with the aid of technology and
new forms of knowledge that stemmed from several trials of empirical and
rational procedures. Considering the many years of development, science
has been refined so much to the point that our thinking, that is, the dominant
fantasy of science is believed to be closer to fact more than ever before.
You can see how it is difficult to understand how we can push beyond the
limits of science, as well how difficult it may be to imagine perspectives that

are not grounded in science. Science wants to explain the how of things by
offering possible hypotheses, but it does not necessarily explain the why of
things.
So how does this tie in to the discussion? Why does fantasy matter?
The dominant fantasy of science for example (as well as metaphysics) offers
a different way of understanding the universe, and in this specific case I am
talking about the idea of universe that has been defined by our dominant
fantasies. It is not to say that the dominant fantasy is the opposite of reality.
Rather, the dominant fantasies of maps and science will serve as
juxtaposition to expose greater truths of our understanding.
Dominant fantasies are forever influx and infinitely linked to our
perspectives and imagination. First, it is important not to take these things
for granted, and secondly to remember that the dominant fantasies of this
generation are likely different than that of the previous generation and that
the succeeding generation will have different dominant fantasies than our
current generation. An implication of importance was outlined in Of
Exactitude in Science: Extensive maps were somehow wanting, and so the
College of Cartographers evolved a Map of the Empire that was of the same
Scale as the Empire and that coincided with it point for point (Miranda,
1658). In a literal translation, this excerpt talks about the previous
generation as keen on cartography to the point of absolute precision. The
science of Cartography (map making) was able to achieve point-for-point

precision in mapping to the point that its scope and complexity were offered
in full details. Yet even so succeeding Generations came to judge a map of
such Magnitude cumbersome, and, not without Irreverence, they abandoned
it to the Rigors of sun and Rain (Miranda, 1658). The succeeding generation
did not value the study of cartography as much as their forebears. People by
nature have objectives, biases and perspectives. Maps as such are also a byproduct of human perspective. This is where it is important to consider our
perspectives. Although science is filtered, it is not necessarily absolute! Maps
which were explored in Incognita Inc. were depicted as symbols used to
draw out the terra incognita. Terra incognita can translate in to means of
unknown territory, unexplored country, or field of knowledge. (Miranda,
1658). What is the importance of maps? Maps, being something we often
take for granted, must be analyzed afar in order to understand its
importance. The importance of maps and the failure of science are outlined
in the Terror and Eurrebus texts. They found guns in the ship and did not
understand, and they broke the guns and used them for harpoons. The little
children found papers in the great ship, but they broke the guns and used
them for harpoons. The little children found papers in the great ship, but they
did not understand papers. They played with them, they ripped them up.
They threw them into the wind like birds. (MacEwan,1987). In the end the
papers, which the children failed to understand were maps, unfortunately
became the demise of the men who boarded the ship. Something as exact
and succinct as science was shown to be useless to the crew members

survival. We scattered our instruments behind us and left them where they
fell. Like pieces of our bodies, like limbs we no longer had need for; we
walked on and dropped them, compasses, tins, tools, all of them. We came to
the end of science (MacEwan,1987). What I am trying to say from this quote
is that, just because the dominant fantasy serves as a template to our
experiences in society, and just because science claims to be the most
logical route, it does not have to become the only belief. Instead, alternative
models can be served only if we recognize the location we are in and what is
taken for granted.
Works Cited:
Harlan, Ellison. Incognita Inc. Retrieved from Realms of Fantasy:
February 2010. 92. Print.
MacEwan, G. (1987). Terror and Eurebus. Excerpt from The Selected
Gwendolwyn MacEwan. Exile Editions. Print.
Rowley, S. (2014). The Power of Words and Language. Lecture
conducted from York University, Toronto, ON.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Dominant Fantasy of Language and the Dominant Fantasy of Gender: Sex and Death in
the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals & X: A Fabulous Childs Story from a Critical Skills
Perspective: The ability to connect theoretical issues with required sources and concrete
situations from the world around you
For the First Essay assignment of this course I had examined how gender roles unfolded
with respect to the themes of power and politics. I wrote about how modes of masculinity are
associated to power and superiority which has the ability to mask and undermine womens
powers who become the other. For the purpose of this discussion, however, I want to

incorporate the theme of language in discussing how a new perspective was offered when I
consider other texts. The newly developed perspective is how language is inextricably linked to
the development of gender dynamic but that is not to say language is used to rise to the top - to
be the dominant and superior, etc. The point is that language marginalizes gender both genders,
but more so with women does it does with men. For the purpose of this discussion I want to
outline specifically the topic of how language has the ability to affect the binary genders
differently. Language effectively conveys tones and other elements which affect ones state of
mind, mode of thinking, etc. This is shown through examples of jargon and degrading language
which affect the binary genders in different ways. Gender dynamics are most prominent when
language and social norms work together. I will demonstrate this theory using both X: A
Fabulous Childs Story and Sex and Death and in the Rational World of the Defense
Intellectuals. Part of this theory can be related back to history where the influence was largely
depicted of females being oppressed and of how the male was depicted as the dominant figure
in the dominant fantasies of the West. Unfortunately gender dynamics still exist to this day
although the androgynous belief has become more accepted in present day. I will demonstrate
how the skill of reading contextually has helped me define the dominant fantasies of language
and gender, by connecting to theoretical issues from real-life situations.
In Cohns text Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals I previously
argued that language has the ability to reflect and shape concepts and perspectives. An example
of this can be outlined in the following quote:
This language has enormous destructive power, but without emotional fallout: without
the emotional fallout that would result if it were clear on was talking about plans for
mass murder, mangled bodies, human suffering. Defense analysts dont talk about

incinerating cities: they talk about countervalue attacks. Human death, in nuclear
parlance, is most often referred to as collateral damage (Cohn, ___).
Through this excerpt it is shown that language holds importance and power in ways that
subtly and silently shape our perspectives. This theory still holds true to my beliefs since the
previous discussion. I spoke about the use of technostrategic terms (language with concealed
meanings) that was used largely in the position of the defense intellectuals, and how Carol Cohn
attempted to uncover how sane men of goodwill could possibly act with such irrationality and
immorality when immersed in such a setting (Cohn, 1988). The point that is to be raised here is
can be found in another quote in the Cohn short story; if the imagery is transparent, its
significance may be less so (Cohn, 1988). But perhaps it is not the technostrategic terms itself
that have shaped Cohns perspectives on the male in regards to acting irrationally and immorally.
The following article I am presenting will clear up a possible misunderstanding. Or so I would
have previously perceived it as a misunderstanding: I will share a new perspective in which I
have been enlightened with since my last analysis. The article which is titled Too Nice to Land
a Job explores gender dynamics surrounding the hiring process in the real world. The most
important take-away message I found in the text is what forced me to see gender dynamics in a
new light, and I quote: What the analysis showed is that letter writers didn't need to use words
like "feminine" to create female stereotypes -- and that they did so, time and again, with women
who had the same intellectual achievements as their male counterparts (Jaschik, 2010). The
study consisted of analysis on words which resonated with women and other words to describe
men. When asked to unbiasedly compare candidates of similar criteria, those job referral letters
with words of communal or emotive qualities were ranked lower than others (Jaschik, 2010).
It may be no surprise that communal and emotive qualities tend to resonate with women. Some

examples of communal or emotive qualities may be agreeableness, niceness, compassion and

honesty. On the other hand, more agentic qualities are associated with men. Note that the root
word is agency this relates to a certain inclination to be independent, assertive, competitive,
and competent. Certainly agentic qualities can be used to describe women alike; however, this is
how women are proved to be doubly oppressed. When women are adopt culturally masculine
behaviours, they may be viewed as inappropriate or presumptuous (Anyaso, 2011). It is not the
words that affected womens job applications, rather, the power is found when these words are
paired with women that make them less valuable than if the same words were to be paired with
men. This is due to social gender constructions and implications.
A recent Ban Bossy campaign has been represented by powerful female icons such as
Beyonce , whose pledge is to get rid of this B word which is believed to discourage females
from becoming leaders (Italie, 2014). The dominant fantasies of language and its powerful
implications on gender roles have become an extremely complex situation especially for young
females in society. A mother explains, Mean, bossy girls, as my 13-year-old daughter describes
them, are closer to being bullies than they are leaders. And we know that bullies fundamentally
feel insecure, hate themselves for it and assert themselves over other insecure people as a way of
garnering a sense of control and dominance. This is not leadership. This is intimidation (Italie,
2014).
What is the important of language in the development of the dominant fantasies of gender in
X: A Fabulous Childs Story? The elimination of the binary gender is portrayed by genderless
child who is known by the name X. I am using A Fabulous Xs Story as an example because
it portrays gender-generic speech. In fact there is no mention of he or she when it comes to
describing X instead Its an X! (Gould, 1978). There is a sharp dichotomy in language and

action displayed in this story which shows that even without the mention of a he or she you
can differentiate genders. For example in the quote X had to know how to shoot marbles and
jump rope (Gould, 1978), we naturally make inferences that X has a quality of a boy as well as
qualities of a girl. This is because shooting marbles is associated as a boys activity while
jumping rope is that of a girls.
It is not language that sets up the boundaries for that the dominant fantasies of gender,
although they do manifest some sort of effect to its criterion. Rather, language plays a huge role
in influencing the dominant fantasies of gender in subtle ways. Different criteria have been
defined for the binary male as well as the binary female. In fact these very quotes can be found in
the syllabus: Men are socialized based on abstract rigorous applications of principles (Rowley,
2013). As such women are also more concerned with interpersonal dimensions (Rowley,
2013). This criterion is simply the cultural reality; gender socialization that has been formed over
many generations and has become something that we accept in the Western culture.
Works Cited
Anyaso, H.H. (2011, July 13). Do women have what it takes? Northwestern University.
Retrieved from http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2011/07/women-leadershipeagly.html
Cohn, Carol. Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals. La Jolla,
CA: University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of
California, San Diego, 1988. Print.
Gould, Louis. X: A Fabulous Childs Story. Daughters Publishing Company. Houston,
Texas. 1978. Print.

Italie, L. (2014, March 24). Ban Bossy? Its not that simple, says critics of Sheryl
Sandbergs campaign. The Associated Press. Retrieved from
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/24/4912686/some-question-sheryl-sandbergs.html
Jaschik, S. (2010, November 10). Too nice to land a job. Inside Hire Ed. Retrieved from
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/10/letters
Markos, L. (2012). Why gender-neutral language represents an enforced agenda rather
than a natural evolution. Houston Baptist Univeristy. Houston, Texas. Pdf. Retrieved from
http://www.dennyburk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/6-Markos.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fantasy and Topographies of Imagination

HUMA1625
Portfolio Part B
Formal Writing - Evaluation #1:
The Use of Critical Skills on the Themes of Identity and Language in Shaping Perspectives
I chose to use my expanded response paper for the purpose of this discussion as it was
one of the first tasks we were assigned to-- it is hard to believe that the paper was written roughly
half a year ago. I wanted to track my before-and-after development; how does my then
performance compare to now? I treated this paper as how I would conduct a video analysis on
my wrestling matches. I asked myself questions such as Where did I go wrong in my
performance? What did I do well, and what do I wish to improve for the future? During the time
which the paper was written we had only learned a handful of themes and critical skills of the
course. As such this doesnt make ones performance any less effective. In wrestling there are
several variations of moves you can perform on your opponent. However the best wrestler can
win matches with as little as three or four moves. Likewise, sometimes simplicity is the answer

to writing a better paper. This is something I failed to consider when writing the expanded
response paper. The first line of my paper reads How is it determined which of the critical skills
learned thus far, is the most correct skill to use? Perhaps it is not to ask which method is more
correct, but rather what skill is more useful. Although I cannot recall my exact thoughts when
writing the paper, it appears that the first ordeal I faced consisted of choosing an appropriate
critical skill for the purpose of analyzing my paper. I also failed to provide a working thesis
which may explain why my paper fell apart; I stated these critical skills are important by ways
of shaping perspectives so to help readers see the context in a different scope. Essentially I had
only stated what critical skills I would be using followed by what text I was going to be
analyzing that in itself is already flawed. What I am aware of now what I was not aware of
before is that sometimes less is more. I had tried to incorporate the suspension of judgment and
the ability to read contextually, as well I stated a third Who Benefits skill which could not be
distinguished as it was unclear in its phrase. Perhaps the best way to go was to focus through one
lens with clarity rather than several with confusion. Because I chose this route I was not able to
articulate my thoughts. That being said I expanded my thoughts and structured my paper
differently. Instead of introducing the critical skills first, I would introduce the paper with a thesis
followed by arguments. My approach was then to use a critical skill (or two when it was the
requirement) with the thesis and each argument in consideration. This allowed me to make use of
the critical skills more effectively instead of trying to form a thesis and argument based on the
critical skill. Perhaps I should have approached the paper by not only stating a critical skill, but
by extension it might have also been useful if I explained what motivated me to use the certain
skill. I also based too much of my focus around using critical skills which took away from my
analysis on the focal themes which were identity and language. Additionally I failed to recognize

the theme in analysis of both the materials, which were Alices Adventures in Wonderland,
Through the Looking-Glass, and Sex and Death and the Rational World of Defense
Intellectuals. The one skill I took away from the use of critical skills was recognizing when
material may be biased or misinformed. For example, before reading the materials I might have
approached the materials without reading contextually, which takes away from my ability to
displace Western values where necessary (e.g Alices Adventures in Wonderland was written in
England). Furthermore I also learned to consider the time and place in which the material was
written. We learned from Sherrys lecture, for example, that Lewis Carrolls book was written
during the late nineteenth century. I believe that my biggest flaw that separated my paper from a
B grade and the A grade I hoped to achieve was simply the fact that my critical skills were not
clearly articulated and identified, and therefore it was hard to clarify and to show my
understanding of the material even though I had an understood the individual themes and skills
itself. I had also assumed that, just because I understood the skills, it doesnt mean that others
would understand what I was trying to say. What can be done differently then, is to ask a person
outside of the course to read the material and ask them to judge the clarity of my paper. My
strength in writing can be reflected through an individual analysis of a single critical skill with
one theme, but my ability to integrate two skills on two materials was quite weak and as a result
the paper was unrefined.
The thesis I provided in my paper, if any at all, failed to address an argument and
instead became a list of things that was to be written in my essay. What is worse is that, because I
had addressed a weak thesis the expectation was that I was also required to integrate that in my
paper.
In simple terms I had stated a goal but had failed to fulfil it. When I re-read the paper I identified
a problem which was: Where is your argument outlined? There are two alternatives that could

solve the problem, one being to leave the thesis out or to refine it. But do to time constraints I did
not have the time to refine it and therefore my paper lacked clarity in that sense. For that reason I
am reminded of the quote Give it your all, or dont do it at all.
Critiques aside, I did raise a few arguments that supported the themes of my paper. For
example I argued that language holds the importance and powers in ways that the everyday
person does not pay much attention to, such ways that silently shape perspectives. I then briefly
described the effects of technostrategic terms, words that separate material entities from
emotional effects. I want to trace this back to my lack of a thesis, however. Perhaps if I had
started my paper out with a strong thesis I could have based my argument on how language
shapes perspectives using several examples within Cohns book and Carrolls book. The
arguments were strong in a sense that if I had used it in a thesis it would have directed my paper
in an organized manner. However because I simply brought it up as a point without any reference
to a thesis, I failed to bring it up as an argumentative point. While my focus was in the right
direction along with the right ideas, it could have been more refined if I had tuned my focus
through a single critical lens. For example what I could have done differently was to argue howby using the skill of reading contextually I can prove (in both materials) that language has the
power to shape perspectives. Then I could have further elaborated my point on how exactly our
perspectives are changed. A suggestion could be that our perspectives are changed in a negative
or more positive way.
My paper would have also benefitted if I had proofread my work. I recall completing
this paper last minute which explains why my paper was phrased awkwardly in many parts. A
skill I had developed over the semester was to complete the paper a week prior to the deadline,
and then proofread it last minute. Editing the work requires very little effort; it is first addressing
the mistakes and weaknesses that are difficult when I lack focus. As I am writing any paper I am

also stressing to complete it regardless of how far away I am from the deadline. Once the paper
is complete I become convinced that the paper does not require any more work. It is not until I
re-read my work a time after that I catch on the mistakes. This tactic was the most useful of them
all, and you can see changes in my writing style from the first assignment in comparison to my
most recent assignments. Moving forward, I will begin with analyzing a recent paper to display
the contrast between an early-stage paper like this one, and a more refined piece in the following
discussion. My next papers would also include a more refined lexicon which would ground my
discussion with more thorough understanding of the material.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Response Paper Analysis Evaluation #2:
Response Paper #7 X A Fabulous Childs Story
I began this section of the portfolio by stating how I wanted to track my before-andafter development. For that reason it would make sense to analyze a paper that was written in
more recent times. This was also similar to the expanded response paper because I had addressed
more than one theme and critical skill, but with this paper I feel I had more direction and success.
I first introduced the paper by stating: I will discuss a term from the lexicon, which is
nostalgia. I bring up this point because I had also failed to realize it was also a theme. However,
I had treated the term in the discussion as though it was a lexicon term and not a theme. I say this
because instead of going through in-depth analysis and debriefing nostalgia, I had only treated
the word as if it was vocabulary. I then came to question if it really served a purpose in my
paper. Essentially the response papers are required to be approximately three pages in length
which to a certain degree serves as a restriction of how detailed my paper could have been.
The critical skill the ability to connect theoretical issues with required sources and
concrete situations from the world around me helped me develop the idea of how the dominant
fantasy of children and childhood reflects on standardized roles in society. Coupled with stories
of childhood, I stated, are social constructed cues which shift the agenda towards the notion of

what is normal and what is considered normal. By generating yet another theme that was not
stated in the introduction, I was potentially setting the paper up for disorganization in structure as
was seen in my expanded response paper. With that being said I feel that this critical skill
allowed for a lot more freedom of expression as opposed to other critical skills. For example, the
critical skill What models are for change? is quite subjective and it pertains to one direction
only. Many people would have the same idea as to what certain models for change are; I say this
because Sherry had provided us with many examples of survival strategies and additionally lack
of originality is presented. Furthermore it is a theme I am comfortable with as it fits in with my
style of learning. I also found that because the reading material was one that I enjoyed I was able
to connect to it on more personal levels which allowed me to revisit the theme of nostalgia, as
well as connecting to theoretical issues in a clearer sense. Say, for example, if I read a piece of
text that was unfamiliar to me it would disallow me to connect on many levels with regards to
the material because I would unconsciously visit only what is familiar to myself and my
experiences. Nostalgia is all about connecting sentimentally to situations of the past. I was
careful not to say connecting to real life situations because we learned in this course that
reality is an uncritical term. For that reason I believe that this theme, in connection to the
critical skill as well as the use of the lexicon term nostalgia was all very fitting.
In terms of the overall structure of the paper, I would consider it to be quite structured in
organization and with topics in clear direction. The discussion was relevant to the theme of
children and childhood, and I was able to clearly articulate my arguments because I used the
critical skill appropriately. How does one consider a critical skill being appropriately used? The
effective use of a critical skill outlines, with clarity, that a writer has a depth of understanding on
the topic matter as well as valid points and strong arguments. When used correctly, critical skills
work as a lens that can facilitate direction and strengthen the overall quality of the paper such

that the point being made is clearly delivered. One could also say that a critical skill offers a
diversity of perspectives and challenges us to push the boundaries of the dominant fantasy or
model of thought that surrounds us.
In generating the extra theme which is what is considered normal I also added an
alternative model for discussion which considers what is defined as normative development. I
did not get in to details as it would put me over the page limit. However, considering it was a
supporting theme rather than a central theme, I believed that a few sentences but more
importantly strong points within that would suffice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Response Paper Analysis Evaluation #3:
Response Paper #10 Pink Floyd The Wall
When I consider Pink Floyd the Wall for my analysis I have to say that although it
was my last paper, it should have been my strongest piece. Of all the critical skills and Sherrys
frequent revisiting of the notion and theme The Personal is Political this paper should have
been refined and detailed in discussion. I disagree on the fact for several reasons: firstly I take
fault in not engaging myself in discussion during tutorial when the theme was explained. My
unfamiliarity of the theme made it more difficult to describe an already complex theme. You may
ask why I didnt choose another theme; this is because, being the last response paper of the term,
I had a very limited number of themes and skills left to choose from. The process of finding and
applying a critical skill is a learning process. Because it became such a tedious task I lost
motivation to find a theme that could work well with my response paper. Although I learned that
any critical skill may be applied to any theme, the only concern is how effectively a skill may be
applied and how well you can integrate it to a corresponding theme.
With this being my last response paper, I had to re-address my main concerns from the
beginning of the semester in order to track my progress. These include: Is there evidence that
my writing skills have improved? (If any at all) and How has my use of critical skills improved

over the course of the semester? I believe that foregrounding a critical skill has worked as a
template for my paper. This will allow me to improve my writing structure. This is said because
one of my biggest weaknesses in writing is disorganization. Although I am able to sort out
thoughts in my head, the problem stems from trying to translate my thoughts in to writing. It is
through this process that I learned to write down my points so I dont forget any, and then to
order them in chronological order; however this does not always work in my favour as naturally
my judgment is flawed. This process is very time-consuming as I often have to rearrange my
points, which can at points cause me to be confused.
I had introduced the paper stating that I will generate reflexive critical skill as the focal
point for my discussion. I thought that generating the Who Benefits question What are
models to formulate change? seemed appropriate to use at the time, and although it is
appropriate in connection to my theme, it was not stated in my introduction. The slight
inconsistency of my paper may cause the reader to be misled or misdirected and therefore the
quality of the work is diminished in quality and left without clarity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Response Paper Analysis Evaluation #4:
Response Paper #3 The Princess Bride
Of course it is normal to face an ordeal when first starting out a new task. During the
beginning of the semester learning critical skills was a challenge but gradually it became a
normal part of my learning process. In my psychology class I had learned a notion that when you
engage yourself in conscious thinking to too much of an extent, you may lose focus and mess up
on the task. For example, for soccer players who are controlling a ball naturally through preconsciousness, who then engages in self-consciousness, s/he will mess up in his footing, stumble,
and so forth. As such I should have used this approach in my writing. Because during the time I
wrote this response paper it was still early in to the semester I had constantly referred to the
syllabus and critical skills site, instead of generating the ideas in my head. I had stressed myself

by overthinking the themes, trying too hard to integrate all the elements of the paper and as a
result I became frustrated and lacked focus. My goal then propelled towards completing the
paper simply to fulfil the quantity (of pages) rather than focusing on the quality. I tried to sell the
reader with quantity which would make it seem as though I have an abundance of knowledge,
rather than quality, which I failed to realize while writing this paper. Another thing I became
frustrated with was that no material from outside of the course was allowed. This is the first
course that has challenged me to divert my attention to materials within the theme, which does
not conform to my way of expression my thoughts. I strongly stand by the idea of integrating
materials from outside or the real world because it helps me understand the same themes from
not just one perspective, but several. This restriction posed as a challenge in the way I would
write a paper but has also prompted my writing to revolve around creativity and originality.
Another trouble I ran in to while writing this paper was that I treated it as a movie
review rather than a comprehensive discussion on the critical skills. The reason why I chose to
critique this paper is because it was the one I was least satisfied with. I summarized the paper
without many references to the theme which was satire. I had provided examples, through
satirical quotes in the movie, which would lead up to the theme of satire, but without any
discussion on the topic matter. The paper was awfully subjective as I offered many subjective
opinions relating to the film such calling it a breath of fresh air. As I put myself in the shoes of
a reader who has not seen the film, I would question the relevancy of such comments if I had
figured out this was not a movie review but a response paper. I did however raise the point that I
was quick to judge the main character (the boy whom the story was being told to) which lead
to me to question if I had another critical skill in mind during the time. I am speaking about the
reservation of judgment. However, because I failed to address it for discussion, an outsider
would not have known it was a theme otherwise. I had also introduced suggestions of storytelling

found in this quote the transformation of his character through the power of grandfathers
storytelling was none other than a pleasing feeling, and closure for myself. I followed up the
point by discussing certain sentiments I felt in connection to the film. So perhaps a more
appropriate theme would have been the power of storytelling and the notion of nostalgia.
Again I want to further bring up the point I raised earlier: the effective use of critical skills can be
found in a paper that is well-structured which for this paper I failed to do so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fantasy and Topographies of Imagination

HUMA1625
Portfolio Part C
LEARNING PROCESS
In this course I have largely enjoyed using analogous comparisons because it helped me
articulate connections from the outside world to the text. Comparisons have been a huge part of
this course! All year I have been challenging dominant fantasies using the compare/contrast
model. Not only have we been analyzing texts within the course but we have been making use of
several real world situations that surround us. What good is an accumulation of knowledge and
experience if it is not put it to good use? I believe that, with age one becomes wiser, but only if
s/he continues to expand and integrate their skills in a useful manner. Naturally I will incorporate
an example for the purpose of this discussion which I hope will help me articulate my train of
thought a little more efficiently. By the end of the discussion I hope you will be able to see how
my experiences from the outside-world play a big part in my development of critical skills.
I had actually first developed critical skills prior to this course when I started my sport
of wrestling. Little about freestyle wrestling is known by my peers so I will do a brief
deconstruction for a moment. One may think that a sport such as wrestling would require much

more physical training rather than mental. This is because our dominant fantasy permits us to
picture muscle and toughness qualities since they are very much connected to their
perception at the mention of the word wrestling. And as you would expect, if the dominant
ideology conforms to ones train of thought, it becomes their very belief. While this is not
incorrect wrestling does require a lot of muscle power and toughness, but it may not be the
same picture as one may imagine it. One can still be strong and skilled without the muscular
physique and in terms of toughness I would say that the mental aspect is more important than the
physical. This goes to show how easily we humans may be deceived by our dominant fantasies.
Secondly, as a wrestler we are encouraged to critically analyze our performance: this
critical stage includes thinking, improving, setting goals, criticizing our successes and
weaknesses, discussing these goals with teammates and coaches. Our bank of skills consists of
accumulations of knowledge honed over many hours of practice. The more we exercise these
skills the more refined, sharp, and quickly executed it becomes. Finally self-analysis and
feedback are the most essential to our future performances.
As student-athletes our lifestyles are dominated by and heavily influenced by wrestling
as we are constantly immersed in its environment. Perhaps one of the most tedious and timeconsuming tasks wrestlers have to partake in is video-analysis. We do not like to be reminded of
our mistakes, we do not want like to see something that could have easily been prevented and
what hurts the most is to recognize mistakes but have them repeated in the next match. You
would think that the five-point slams and the gruelling hours of training are the worst parts about
wrestling. However, it is during the analysis stage that is the most painful and uncomfortable. We
are forced to reflect our every move after each performance this is what allows us to improve.
After all, the expectation is to improve every time. This stage of development is extremely

punitive and at times unbearable; nonetheless it is vital and most beneficial in our quest to
achieve success.
You can see how this process is all too familiar to me. In comparison to academia the
process is almost identical. After conducting a reflexion of the past 7 months I feel that I have
improved substantially in many aspects: this includes writing style, refined lexicon, and of
course diversity and wealth of knowledge on several course themes.
When I reflected on my wrestling season I was quite distraught because I did not do as
well as I would have wished to. Of course there are many things I could have done to improve
my performance. One important thing I learned was that participation has been a large
contributor to my successes and failures. When I translate that in to a classroom setting, I
reflected: I had attended just about every tutorial in this course so of course I should expect a
good mark, right? However I then measured the extent of my participation. You get out of life
what you put in to it this theory applies to both academics and athletics. I could show up to
every practice, but if I am in la-la land I will run in to troubles. When my coach finishes his
demonstration and tells me to perform the same move I simply cannot exercise it. Or if I do it is
certainly not with precision. Likewise simply showing up to tutorial would serve me no purpose
if I did not get involved. However my way of getting involved is quite subtle. I say this because I
identify myself as an introverted thinker. This means I like to think through my ideas privately
and adapt to learning by listening rather than engaging in conversation. When it came time to
participate in the group project, I was pushed to discuss matters with others. I feel that this
served as a benefit because my group mates and I bounced ideas off each other which helped me
develop some ideas for the collaborative project. However I would not say that taking an
extrovert approach would benefit me any more than my current way of thinking. Everyone has
things that work and do not work for them. Because being vocal is not my strength it does not

make me any less valuable to discussion as opposed to someone who is. In psychology we
learned that an individual never lacks a trait, rather, some individuals exercise a trait more
immensely and therefore their trait is more prominent to others.
The dominant fantasies that shape our topographies are the same elements that shape the
very way we think and act. The constant exposure and revisiting of themes has changed my
mode of thinking in the world to a certain degree. I wouldnt say that the themes are engrained
in my mind due to interest in learning them, but more so because of the constant use-and-abuse
of them. Although I must say I have been able to incorporate my understanding in other classes.
Like I mentioned previously, I naturally make comparisons and integrate material between
classes or with any aspect of my life. It is not to say I had a lack of critical thinking prior to this
course, rather this course has pushed me to further refine my skills. Also I have been
enlightened to an array of lexicon terms that I was never aware of before. Cognitive dissonance,
cognitive estrangement, and praxis are some examples. I know their definitions but have yet to
incorporate them in the real world. Like wrestling, I feel that as long as I understand how to use
something (whether it is a certain move, defence or offense tactics) and have practiced it
enough times, the skill will stick with me. It is automatically installed within my muscular
memory. I will happily deploy these skills and make good use of it when I find the appropriate
opportunity to use it.
Certainly Sherry has taught us many useful themes that challenged our boundaries and
broadened our perspective. I can see how reading contextually, suspending/delaying judgment
and reaction, and considering the other may be useful for future use. However, I may not go
out of my way to ask what are alternative fantasies to this dominant fantasy? I prefer very
simplistic theories and shamefully I will admit I am ignorant to some certain extent. I rarely
feel it is necessary to go out of my way to question why? Humans naturally try to make sense

of the world in their own ways. When I ask a multitude of questions I am never satisfied with
just one answer. I dont know if its because Im experiencing burnout at the moment that is
making me loath the use of critical skills, but I feel as though these skills arent something that
should be forced.
It does not take much to captivate my interest over the years I have developed a way of
thinking that declares: If I am bored with I must be doing something wrong. Why? There is
absolutely no reason to be bored because there is so much to learn and so little time. However
the materials caused in this course were dry not in a sense that it was boring, but because there
too much information to consume in so little time. I learn by creating interdisciplinary models
of thoughts for myself, as such I conceptualize my own theories. But because Sherry had
already operationalized so many concepts in the course it took away from my ability to look for
objective criteria. Her method of teaching, I feel, largely undermines the lived experiencethat is self-learning and critical thinking on my own. By virtue of offering different
perspectives (although the information is insightful) she is essentially pushing my boundaries
for me rather than allowing me to think on my own.
From the beginning of the course I have offered many critical skills to be considered in
my discussion you can see this from my first assignment. But the problem was that I would
offer so many skills in my papers that cause me to lose organization in writing structure and
train of thought when I am writing my papers. I would also fail to revisit them (or even analyze
them) by the end of my paper, which restricted me from achieving success. I feel that it is not
only this course, but this applies to all my courses. I have a grip on the concepts, I just have
trouble finding executing them. It is definitely something I need to improve upon because it is
taking away from one of my strengths such as being articulate.
As I treat university as an interdisciplinary practice I have no doubt that I will be able to
integrate the information I have learned in this course in to other streams of education as well

as my life. I have already mentioned previously that I will utilize these skills only during the
right time and in the right situation. The natural way of learning is not to force learning, but to
freely allow the learner to discover and build their own foundations. Of course criticisms from
fellow colleagues and comments and feedback are appreciated as well. This is what helps me
grow and improve, in terms of recognizing my areas of weakness, knowing what I should
improve on, and what I am doing right. Again, when I integrate this with wrestling you can do
the same move over and over again but if your form is flawed then you will never achieve
success. Instead you will be stuck at the same position from time and time over. The process is
also like building a house: once you lay down a good foundation you can continue building it
stronger and stronger. And if the fundamental layers are not there, the overall structure will be
weak and your house will collapse.
The accumulations of themes have been engrained in my head so much so that I
automatically revisit them when Im reading other course materials. The way I have been
trained in this course has changed my model of thought. However I am speaking mostly of the
themes that have been used frequently: this includes the Personal is Political, the dominant
fantasies of gender, language, etc.
The last point I wanted to raise revolves around the quintessential models of University
students, or even athletes. The difference between success and failure (or rather, the lack of
success) is the effective use of time management. Essentially I have been rushing assignments
all year due to my poor time management skills. This is especially crucial for students who are
heavily involved with extra-curricular activities, such as myself. My failure to imagine the time
it takes to do a comprehensive 7-month project has potentially caused detriments and lack of
quality in my work. I guess the next step is to ask myself: What are some models for change? I
will leave this self-reflexion for when I set goals for myself the following year.