Research Project

ENG 782 Research Project –

Artistic Play – Connecting with Alienated Students in High School English Classes

The characteristics that mark the Dada movement – anti-establishment negativity, randomness, humor, irrationality and nonsense - have the potential to reach students who feel out of place in a traditional, classically centered high school English classroom. The project will examine some aspects of Dadaism that might appeal to those young people, as well as a look at some of the student traits that might correspond to them.  The paper will also include some potential classroom projects and their applicability to common core standards.

Preliminary Outline:

1. Making The Case for Differentiated Literature in the Crowded Curricular Agenda

2. Overview of Dada framed in the perspective of applications in the high school setting

a.     Background of the movement

b.     Specific characteristics, artists, pieces relevant to/appropriate for high school students

c. Modifications - yes or no

3. Some Characteristics of Alienated Students

d.     Urban settings

e.     Multiculturalism

f.      Learning styles

g.     Disabilities

4. Common Core Standards

h.     Fitting non-standard literature into classroom instruction

5. Potential Projects, Praxis, Applications

6. Summary

Preliminary Resources

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/01/16/codrescu Dada in the Classroom

http://dramateachersnetwork.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/lesson-lovenotes-teaching-dada-performance-art/  Teaching Dada Performance Art

http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/pdf/dada_student_guide.pdf  Student Dada Guide – National Gallery, Washington

http://www.dadart.com/dadaism/dada/index.html Dada refernce site with links to a multitude of sites and resources

http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/dada MoMa Research Project

http://dspace.sunyconnect.suny.edu/bitstream/handle/1951/6635/mack.pdf?sequence=1

The Art of Teaching and Teaching with Art: Using Avant-garde Art to Foster Active Learning in the Classroom Chris Mack
, State University of New York at Oswego

http://charlotteteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/10.07.05_copy.pdf

Who says that’s Modern? Making use of Primary Sources in Art History, Elizabeth Lasure

http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.lib.uwm.edu/content/0042-0972/ UWM Computer Only Title: A critical view of urban literacy : A case study of successful high school English teachers Source: The Urban review [0042-0972] Rogers yr:1994 vol:26 iss:3 pg:173 -185

http://content.epnet.com.ezproxy.lib.uwm.edu/pdf19_22/pdf/2006/TIP/01Sep06/24697866.pdf?T=P&P=A Stephanie Power Carter, “She Would’ve Still Made That Face Expression”: The Use of Multiple Literacies by Two African American Young Women

http://standards.dpi.wi.gov/stn_ela-tchingandlrng Common Core English Standards - WI DPI

Then so does over sent dull on - Revision Three

Summer was ending. As Edward settled limits at in, our sportsman Erastus, his unwilling, fulfilled departure now law, nevertheless still argued that the obstinate Day, with his unaffected literature partiality inhabiting, was the reason that Hill had sold the ham men and made him lose the case. In particular, in ways most boisterous up, Erastus groused that suffering his had cost him his collected intention promotion. There was also ample stood given in the case that several Any had enjoyed shewing; yet, sadly for our defendant, they failed to shew on the day of the trial, and just wished next instead. Erastus was morose in abject humiliation.

And thus amid deepening shadows of defeat, our dejected Gentleman and his compatriots collected their man Day, who in contradiction contained so intention sweetness that there was no choice but to be thus in on resolving.  Alas, despite sweet Day’s intentions, resolving was for naught. In mutual thrown all was lost. And so our sportsman wanders on, extended wondered thoughts, while as rapid woody my he me, we hold our year they ten upon.

Then up with intention remainder our sportsman’s own behavior, six moments to, so improved feelings that he was acquitted. Was justice improved? Any nay believe, claiming same an quit most an, and that he should never have been accused.

Then so does over sent dull on. Our sportsman is a free man, and with uncommonly compliment imprudence he embarks. Music led all visitors musical calling west, thus guest it west he tears, aware as cottage maids am calling, enraptured by their song. They hope if sing, oh sent, tell is; and our Erastus yields. None in as name to here them can ere deny that sake has thus sing pure.

Oh he of common future! Fair maidens await, so wise. Oh smiling cousins, this warrants whether he, as compliment, has unreserved projecting. Perhaps our concluded perpetual Erastus is not quite as free as he thinks.  Likewise offended and warmly thrown, it seems that conspiracies may yet be in the offing. But still their mirth seems of songs. By these am please spring formal Erastus, and so rapid blush songs begin. Between observed, maid and man pretend delight for, and so it would seem charmed esteems age out.

Now of who did promise justice new of winding? Erastus, poor lad, in bliss he lies wishing that ability musical may another set age. The hard sing an is in true felt. He has discerned that sportsmen are welcomed stronger if steepest ecstatic, and suitable finished of oh. Erastus, our dear sportsman, wishes ever to be so. He has no inkling of malice arising, that smiling may out be assured. He knows not that he is soon to be thrown, with raising gravity, outward.

He dwells oblivious among new smiling friends and her another, unaware that she does none love high. He envisions pursuit, man musical in general pointed. But blush be sorry, not in sight. Her indulgence is impossible to conviction - she sings for sport and not for love. Oh sing tall much yet ye get nor. Her connection is too unaffected, expression neither evident welcome, all civilly uncivil. There will be no possession. An from mean on, with when, sing pain.

Sadly soon Erastus finds his hold do tore. His estimable enjoyment is up, held late as he felt know. Smiling, singing, she sends him away, sentiments way understood end partiality. Doubtful that properly answered humanity its desirous, he realizes that he sang lose with melancholy instrument. Music leave, say, doors him, as it surprise informed.

Then so does over sent dull on. Eastward Erastus goes in bitter sadness. He must allow miles from his wound place, the leave had. Our sportsman faces his future afraid, wondering, should genius spirit on?

Mean time, the siren smiles, her direction neglected but supported, in pleasure breeding humanity, she nothing but contempt had. Sang put paid away, with joy six her.

Then so does over sent dull on. Alas poor Erastus, attachment is entreaties announcing, and he has none. He was delivered gentleman acuteness, but wisdom waited. Once cheered at it in promise blushes perhaps, he is now resigned to suffer - sure that way gave not any fond now. Why her? So his wound stood.

But hark - remember finished men throwing ham? Hill, kind Edward and cheerful Day return, and pronounce our sportsman guilty of earnestly believing, collecting unpleasant at everything conviction. In up contrasted, discretion inhabiting excellence, they entreaties emit for new directions. Hill and his ham men are now employed as thespians, with invitation at occasional sentiments insipidity inhabiting. Sweet Day has estimable employment as well, disposing of moonlight with cordially curiosity. Kind Edward has an in, a position greatest so desirous. Erastus begins to wryly grin, an seems that green be wrote again. It would appear entire quite as the lady’s - it had naught to do with him. Sportsmen, he recalls, do allowance in September shameless, and autumn has arrived. Erastus scans the horizon, awakening to new awareness that enough talent to depart do be so. There are certainty advantages prosperous remarkably inhabiting so reasonably be if. 

And thus, with one final exquisite considerable wave to his congenial companions, he consulted up his tolerably sometimes perpetual oh, and departed.

Creative Approaches

“When one made love to zero

spheres embraced their arches

and prime numbers caught their breath...”

― Raymond Queneau, Pounding The Pavements, Beating The Bushes, And Other Pataphysical Poems

In a collision of opposing approaches, Oulipo and Surrealism tackle creativity from two very different (pun unintentional) angles. Surrealists envisioned creativity as a product of the subconscious mind, a manifestation of dreams and cosmic inspiration, while the Oulipians countered that approach with constraints on literature based on disciplined forms and the structures of mathematics.  On the surface it would seem that the Surrealist tactic provided more freedoms in creative expressions, but in reality that’s not quite true. There was rigor imposed upon Surrealism that limited both the manifestations of the form and access to it. The pure aleatory freedom of Dada, with its “anti-real” determination to be without form in all of its expressions, was countered with the inward, humanist focus of Surrealism through renewed attention to artistic effort and human emotions in a myriad of disturbing manifestations. There were expectations of compliance to form within surrealism both aesthetically and politically, as manifestos were created that were both structured and exclusive. Andre Breton, for example, published lists of who was a true Surrealist and who was not. In a critical interview published in Action Poetique, Oulipian Jacques Roubard called Surrealism a “classical movement of modernism,” which was tainted by the hierarchal structure in its leadership, and noted “a certain Versailles-like splendor about its output; but also a tendency towards rigidity, intolerance, a constant emphasis on hegemony, on elimination of everything that resists it.”  Thus while the creative focus of surrealism, with its echoes of Romanticism in aesthetic appearance, seemed dreamlike and formless; it was nevertheless “played by the rules” of an exclusive few.

In contrast, Oulipo was, from its very beginnings, determined to “radically turn away from any group activity that might engender denunciations, excommunications, or any form of terror,” as stated by Raymond Queneau in Atlas la Litterature potentialle.  Queneau and co-visionary Francois LeLionnais envisioned a “potential literature” containing “new forms and structures which may be used by writers in any way they see fit.”  The Ouvroir de Liiterature Potentielle was thus more open, not less, to variations by those who practiced it, even though they were presented with mathematically based constraints. Those constraints were not all that different in philosophy than the structures of poetry that had existed for centuries before, from sonnets to cinquains, but they were more formally drawn and far more intricately detailed. As artists emerged who were willing to play with the forms, Oulipo became increasingly accessible and more diverse, despite the constraints.

Interestingly, there were comparable trends going on in music at about the same time, with neo-classicism echoing Dada (including aleatoric “roll of the dice” compositions by Marcel Duchamp and John Cage), and experiencing a “le movement flou” of its own en route through Surrealism to Serialism, a musical form devised primarily by Arnold Schoenberg and based on numerical constraints very similar conceptually to those in Oulipo. There, too, the varied approaches brought both affirmation and condemnation.

by Nathan, age 11, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

"Escher's Garden. Based on Maurits Cornelius Escher's (one of my favorite artists) Relitivitat, I've constructed on digital designer a garden in three dimensions for three dimensions."

4x4x6 by Yuri

But back to the literacies at hand: Surrealism is drawn from the subconscious - dream-based and humanist, whereas Oulipo is rational, reasoned and patterned. A simplistic analogy could be drawn in creative approaches to a box full of Lego building blocks. The Surrealist creator builds a structure based on dreams and imaginings using a random assortment of blocks, but it can’t represent anything “real.” The Oulipian begins with a defined number of colors and/or blocks, and then is free to create whatever he can from them. Here’s what it looks like:

Surrealism http://legoquestkids.blogspot.com/2011/11/surrealism-photos.html

Oulipo http://www.mocpages.com/group.php/20789

 As I considered the creative possibilities of constraints beyond the Lego box, I thought about a challenge from my (beginners’ level) creative writing class last term. When it was assigned, the class groaned, but those of us who actually did it discovered it was creatively stimulating. It was called “100 Works” and was structured thus: First work, one word; second work, two words; and so on up to 100 words. The hardest part, I discovered, was communicating in fewer words. One hundred words was easy, eighteen was not. I liked it. It made me work hard with both form and word choice to communicate something meaningful in every work.

In terms of a revolution in literary movements, I don’t think that one or the other was more revolutionary. So much of all three of the movements built on elements of one another, and many artists flowed between. I think that all of them were revolutionary in contrast to Romanticism or Enlightenment, but not necessarily to one another. Oulipo is perhaps the easiest of all three to define, just because it has very clearly stated parameters, and thus it may seem more distinctly revolutionary. It is also the most accessible, and thus perhaps the most enduring.

“Rules cease to exist once they have outlived their value, but forms live on eternally. There are forms of the novel which impose on the suggested topic all the virtues of the Number. Born of the very expression and of the diverse aspects of the tale, connected by nature with the guiding idea, daughter and mother of all the elements that it polarizes, a structure develops, which transmits to the works the last reflections of Universal Light and the last echoes of the Harmony of Worlds.”

― Raymond Queneau




http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/15957.Raymond_Queneau. 

Roubard, Jacques. "Poesie, etecetera:menage-Entretion avec Jacques Rubard, par Liliane Giroudon et Michelle Grangaud." action poetique 141. le trimestre 1996. 21-25

LeLionnais, Francois. atlas la littérature potentielle Paris: Gallimard, 1981 "Raymond Queneau et l'amalgame des mathématiques et de la littérature" 34-41

Consenstein, Peter. Literary Memory, Consciousness and the Group Oulipo. Amsterdam. Rodopi. 2002