WP3: Prewriting Assignment 4

Torso is located in the middle of a college campus. That is it's audience. And in a way, it might help us to understand the message the object and it's creator are trying to convey.

When we think of college campuses, we must think about what exactly that represents. Men and women between the ages of 18-25 (generally) walking around in a free environment for the first time. Free from their parents, high school problems and on their own in a new world. It's exciting, it's scary and it's a time in our lives for exploration and new experiences.

Then there is torso. A figure representation of the female body. The sexual organs are in tact and fully displayed. The woman has no clothing whatsoever and is what many men would consider to be attractive. She is fit, formed and certainly brings attention to the female anatomy.

So why would someone put a figure like this on a college campus? Well like it or not, college campuses are filled with young men and women who are indeed exploring things for the first time. This often includes sex. With no parents to worry about coming into the room, and no curfew to prevent late night activity, things happen on a college campus that we don't see occuring anywhere else.

But wait a minute. Perhaps this figure is sending the opposite message that one might think a hot shirtless woman would convey. For when one looks at torso closely, you begin to notice some things. While the female anatomy is intact, torso has no arms or legs. And because it has no face, this figure lacks a soul. We feel no emotional connection to it. It's not a person, just a body. And I think that's what torso represents. And I think that's why it was put on a college campus.

Basically, I think the message here is that sex is not what life is about. Sure, it feels great and can be an amazing experience with a special partner. But without the emotional connection to our partner, it's just another fun night that doesn't really mean anything. It's incomplete, worthless. Just like this torso. Without a face and arms and legs and emotion, it means nothing.

On the other hand though, you can look at Torso from Zorach's perspective in a positive way. Instead of being a message of sex, this figure can be interpreted as a figure of beauty and respect towards the female body. Torso was created in 1932 during the Great Depression. And currently we are in a recession through difficult economic times. I believe Zorach's message is as clear today as it was back in 1932, and it's environment could not be more appropriate.

As young people, we face a challenging future. And because we are in college, many of us don't have a lot of money. Torso reminds us to appreciate the simple things, such as the love of a beautiful girl.

And so, I conclude that this is the message to torso's audience of young men and women. Youth exploring the world freely for the first time. Remember the lessons that you learned. Take pride and value in the relationships of those around you. And keep life simple when you seem overwhelmed. Zorach may have been born in a different generation. But his values and lessons are valid even in today's rapidly changing world.

WP3: Prewriting Assignment 3

Torso is located outside of the Sheldon Art Museum, surrounded by green grass and dozens of other artistic exhibits. And because it is not located indoors, the audience probably approaches it a little differently than they would a typical piece of artwork in a museum.

When a person is inside a museum, the way we behave and perceive our environment changes greatly. One is generally expected to be quite and respectful of others when inside of an artistic, old fashioned building. And because we are in an 'art museum' we probably look around more, come in with a different sense of expectation and just change our attitudes to reflect the environment.

However, when you are viewing art outside in a more relaxed and open environment, the atmosphere changes greatly. As a viewer you are probably more relaxed, casual and more yourself, so to speak. You act more like you would in a typical situation.

But more importantly, because it is outside, I believe Torso probably attracts a younger audience. Simply because young people don't tend to visit museums unless it is required by a class they are taking. Let's just be honest here.

Museum doors can probably seem a little bit intimidating or uncomfortable, especially to young people. You probably see many more UNL students casually stroll through the park where Torso is located, then going inside of the actual art museum. And if anything Torso is seen by more UNL students just walking around because of it's placement outside.

By the same argument, if Torso was meant to be seen by an older audience, I think placing it inside would make more sense. But it's not, and that is part of the message here. Torso is aimed at young people.

We might also consider the overall natural environment in which Torso is located. Instead of being in a synthetic environment such as the inside of a fancy museum, we see this object outside. Torso gets rained and snowed on, and spends many days out of the year baking in the hot sun.

It is also surrounded by trees, grass and everyday people walking around as opposed to four walls and museum goes. Because torso is dealing with the issue of sex, I think it is only natural (no pun intended) that it is located in a natural environment. After all, sex is essentially the most natural of human behaviors. And I believe this goes a long way in amplifying it's overall message of sexuality and what it means for the everyday person.

Many of the pieces of artwork inside of Sheldon are very unique, beautiful and stand out greatly. This is not to take away from Torso, or to say that it isn't beautiful and special. But let's be honest, this object isn't all that glamorous. It lacks color, arms, legs and any emotional connection due to the lack of a face.

In fact, when I was wandering around the outside area looking for torso, I had trouble finding it. It doesn't stand out initially. Why is that? Why is this structure not given more prominence. Why didn't the creator make this torso more colorful, or add those features that would make it appear more human. This is another example of the everyday object and theme that Torso seems to be going for. It's not flashy, it's not in a typical museum environment. This is something different.

In a world consumed with sex filled messages, Torso conveys an everyday message that is often ignored by society. Speaking directly to students as they walk around campus, Torso is the definition of what is wrong with sex culture. It's not about the lust we have for a body, or the status we achieve by getting with that attractive person. In essence, it's not about what we see openly displayed on Torso.

It's about love, and emotion, and caring and the relationship we form with a partner. All of the things that are lacking in Torso. This message is stronger due to it's environment outside of the Sheldon Art Museum. I am excited to explore these themes further in my final project.

WP3: Prewriting Assignment 2

The object called Torso was created in 1932 by a man named William Zorach.

It is loyal to it's name, presenting itself as an attractive female torso. It also lacks arms, legs and a face, which forces the eyes to focus exclusively on the female anatomy. Why did Zorach choose a female for Torso instead of a male body? One reason perhaps is the fact that women are often stereotyped as sex symbols or objects in pop culture.

In today's world of Hollywood, Playboy and fat dieting this is even more true. We live in a sex culture, and this figure is representative of that.

It's interesting to note that Zorach clearly went out of his way to make this torso resemble an attractive female body. The sexual organs including the breasts and gluteus maximus are life size and attract attention when gazed upon. The curves and muscular physique that define a female's body anatomy are also present in great detail.

This initial focus on the sexual features of the female body leads me to wonder if that was Zorach's intent. Torso can be viewed as a sexual representation of a woman. The fact that it is present on a college campus filled with many students exploring sexual activity for the first time also does not seem like a coincidence. Audience and context are so important when judging art, and both of those were probably taken into consideration when creating this piece of artwork.

In a perfect world, Torso would be the ideal representation of a women. She has no scars, fat or deformities. She is young, fit and in shape. Would our perception of this figure change if she was ugly, fat or had sagging breasts? What would the message be then if juxtaposed with Torso? That is a theme I would like to explore further. But clearly, this body was meant to capture the female body at it's best.

But because Torso doesn't have a face, it seems to represent women in general. The lack of clothing strips away material things we see in the world such as money or stature. This is simply humanity at it's core, a naked body that is similar to what everyone is born with.

But the lack of a face makes Torso seems empty, cold and incomplete. This use of pathos to make us feel this way is his way of saying that focusing simply on sex and the sexual organs of the body will leave you feeling empty and cold. Anyone can enjoy a nice body. But maybe he is saying it is what is on the inside that counts. That's what life is about.

Yet clearly here on this piece of art, and for a lot of men out there, the female body is the primary focus for sexual pleasure. I also think that lack of an identity and the message about humanity in general's obsession with sex is an interesting use of ethos.

Overall this is a very interesting piece of artwork, and I am excited to explore it further during my project. What was his intent? Why did he choose a woman instead of a man? Why is the figure considered perfect and attractive with little to no flaws? And why is this piece of artwork on display at a college campus?

These are all important and relevant questions that will need to be addressed as I continue my research on Torso, by William Zorach

WP3: Prewriting Assignment 1

I have skydived out of an airplane. I've talked with music superstars in front of screaming fans, and appeared on national television. I've even gone hunting for gators in the Florida Everglades.

But I have never had any experience with art objects.

That is a little strange, considering that art has always been a big part of my life. When I was a kid I used to spend hours and hours drawing and painting pictures in my free time. At the age of eight I was writing stories with characters, chapters and complex plots.

I was also artistic through the use of video cameras and photography in elementary school. I remember when my mom bought me my first camera, and how excited I was to use it. I would go around taking pictures of everything I could see. Dogs, people, trees, anything! Even McDonalds.

And while those pictures probably were not very good, it showed my passion for art and creativity even before I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

As I have grown older I find that I continue to use art in many areas of my life. I have always enjoyed using the internet, and constantly express myself through forum posts and blogging on various websites. A few years I also began using Photoshop, and have spent hundreds of hours working with all sorts of pictures in the artistic program.

Today as a college student I still use art on a regular basis. I am currently in a graphics class where I have the opportunity to design magazine, newspaper and book covers in a program called InDesign. I love using colors and shapes to be creative and to convey a message.

And though I haven’t had a lot of experience with art objects like what we saw today at the Sheldon Art Museum, I am excited for the experience. I have enjoyed many different forms of art throughout my life and I don't think that will change anytime soon.

I loved my first impression of my art object 'Torso' and can't wait to explore it further during our final class project. Ready or not, here we go!

WP2: Final Draft

- Statement of Purpose

- Rough Draft 1

- Rough Draft 2

Author's Note

When deciding on what cartoon I wanted to use for my project, I knew I wanted to focus on something in politics. I was not a big fan of the previous administration, and I felt like I had a lot to offer through a project that explored one of their political decisions, the Iraq War. That is why I selected this cartoon, and focused on a cartoonist who has similar political views to me.

When I first began writing the paper however, I faced a dilemma. I watch the news constantly and follow politics closer than most of my peers. As such, I have an unrealistic expectation of what others do and should know about our world and its political decisions. This caused me to write my first rough draft without explaining my arguments thoroughly or going into detail about how certain rhetorical techniques were being used. Basically, I assumed my audience knew everything that I did.

I realized my mistake, and focused much of my editing in the second rough draft to provide context for readers who may not follow politics and world events closely. I also wanted to further explore this cartoon and its message through factually relevant information and insightful details that might be new to some readers. And finally, I worked hard to explain how rhetorical techniques from the book were being used in this cartoon. I found ways to explain the use of vector lines, pathos, logos, body language and more to show how this cartoon made a political argument.

For my final draft, I felt it was important to cite my information to add credibility, and to tighten the focus of my paper to make a direct and clear argument. There is so much information that could be thrown into a paper as broad as the War in Iraq. So many events played into it's existence, and so much has happened since the war's end that could be talked about in hindsight. But I wanted the focus of this project to be on the cost of war, and the integrity of those leading our country.

Overall I am satisfied with how my project turned out. The message here as we look into the future is the importance of honest leadership, and the responsibility that comes with being leaders in the free world.

----

On March 20th, 2003 President George W. Bush went on national television to address the nation. He told the American people that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, capable of threatening the United States. He offered Saddam Hussein an ultimatum - step down or face war.

Days later, the United States invaded Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Six years later, the new Iraq is still a dangerous place requiring the protection and assistance of American troops. And though the United States was able to remove one of the most evil and tyranical leaders in modern history in Saddam Hussein, we must ask ourselves if the ends justified the means.

Over 4,000 US troops have been killed in Iraq since the war began (Antiwar). And the fighting has bled American's of another $700 billion to support the effort (National Priorities Project).

All of this despite the fact that we still haven't found a single weapon of mass destruction, the defining reason and propaganda used by the Bush administration in it's push for war.

This cartoon was created by world famous political cartoonist Pat Oliphant. And he is not one to hide behind his work. But to understand his message, we must first look at the context and explore new information that has emerged since the end of the war.

Many months before Bush addressed the nation about Iraq's intentions, George Tenet of the CIA insisted there was no connection between al-Qaeda and Iraq. In response, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld initiated a secret program to re-examine the evidence, this time excluding the CIA and Tenet. This new and controversial information was not analyzed and instead presented directly to the public (PBS Frontline)

A month later, Tenet once again briefed the Bush administration. This time he presented information suggesting that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, contrary to claims by the Bush administration. This argument was dismissed and never shared with Congress (Salon)

Than in September 2002, the Bush administration claimed to have evidence suggesting Iraq was making an effort to create nuclear bombs. This analysis was opposed by the US Department of Energy, who are considered experts in gas centrifuges and nuclear weapons programs.

An effort by the department to correct Colin Powell's forthecoming address to the United Nations on the issue was rebuffed. Powell later admitted he had presented inaccurate data to the UN, and that the intelligence he was relying on was in some cases "deliberately misleading." (Meet The Press)

So what does all of this mean? Basically, there is evidence to suggest that the Bush administration lied to Congress and the United States of America in their push for war with Iraq.

But to accuse the President and Vice President of the United States of lying to start a war is territory many news and media outlets are afraid to approach. They are bound by the ethics of Journalism and must be fair to both sides. But Oliphant is not bound by these rules, and was preaching his message against Bush loud and clear through this cartoon. He does this using a variety of rhetorical argument techniques, such as visual hierachy, ethos, logos and pathos.

The first thing you might notice when looking at this picture is Dick Cheney towering over this dead soldier. His body language communicates anger, dominance and even evil by the look in his eye and how he stands over the soldier in a hostile position.

This contrasts the small, innocent cowboy dressed version of George Bush we see looking curiously at the man on the ground. Right away Oliphant is using ethos and visual hierachy to demonstrate differences between Bush and Cheney. We see that Cheney is much larger in this photograph than Bush, showing superiority. We also see ethos in how Cheney is dressed in a suit, while Bush is dressed informal cowboy style with a look of almost childlike innocence on his face.

Because Cheney appears proffesional and business, he seems in control, though for the wrong reasons. Bush contrasts Cheney's ethos in that he does not come across professional or like he is the Commander in Chief. Cheney's towering size over the image also gives him dominance through visual hierachy. Oliphant is sending a message trough these nonverbal statements. He is saying that Cheney runs the show, and that Bush is merely a child in a man's world.

But Oliphant also makes it clear through pathos that we are not to trust Cheney. He looks intimidating, dark and shows no compassion. We don't feel like he is a man that should be trusted. Because this is a cartoon, this is his way of conveying a message that you will never read in a newspaper. Oliphant boldly argues that Dick Cheney is an evil person, and has no compassion for this soldier or any of the other things that he has done.

But even more important is the use of vector lines to draw our attention to the soldier laying on the ground. He is consumed in darkness and death, his pain the most real and emotional element we see in the image. He is a symbol of the sacrifice we make as a nation when we go to war.

Oliphant is using pathos to make us feel compassion for the soldier. Many Americans know someone who is serving in the military. Some even have close loved ones that are currently overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan. The emotional connection we feel to this soldier, and the possibility that he could represent one of our own friends or family being injured in the war, really drives this argument home. What if someone you cared about died under false pretenses? These thoughts enter our minds when we begin to connect with the image and it's nonverbal arguments.

We see more interesting use of body language when looking even closer at the physical relationship between Bush and Cheney. There is evidence to suggest Dick Cheney was the man responsible for what the war and what has resulted to this soldier. And while Bush is on his knees trying to comfort him, Cheney stares angrily from above into the man's eyes. Oliphant is saying that Bush, though uninformed and inept for the task at hand, feels bad about what has happened to the soldier. We see no such indications through body language or any form of communication from Dick Cheney.

But what really seals the message in this cartoon are the words spoken by Bush. "Would it make you feel better to know we had inaccurate intelligence?" This is reverse ethos, in that it boldly accuses Bush and his administration of making a costly mistake by not doing their job; and perhaps even lying to the country. And this soldier paid the ultimately price. Is his blood on Bush's hands? And was his sacrifice in vein? If you believe the administration lied to the country, than perhaps the answer is yes.

We may never know the answer to these questions. And last year, the backlash against the Republican party contributed to the first African American President being elected. Over time security in Iraq has improved dramatically. And perhaps in the end, some good came out of this war as things begin to settle down, and a new democracy is born in Iraq.

But we must never forget the lessons that we learned in 2003. A lesson clearly communicated in Oliphant's cartoon. With great power comes great responsibility. Oliphant is arguing that the United States must use discretion and work hard not to rush as a nation into important decisions with unknown repricussions. We must make sure the inteligence and the purpose are accurate and truthful. Because any war comes with great sacrifices.

As President Obama weighs his own wartime decision in whether or not to send troops to Afghanistan, let's hope he has learned lessons from his predecessor. For the actions and decisions of our last President ultimately cost this soldier and thousands more of their lives.

----

Works Cited

• “Casualties in Iraq” Antiwar. 2009. November 12^th, 2009 <http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/>.

• “Cost of War” National Priorities Project. 2009. November 12^th, 2009 <http://costofwar.com/>

• "The Dark Side" PBS Frontline. 2006. November 12th, 2009 <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/etc/script.html>

• "Bush Knew Saddam Had No Weapons Of Mass Destruction" Salon News. 2007. November 12th, 2009 <http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/09/06/bush_wmd/>

• "Discussion on Iraq War." NBC's Meet The Press. 2004. November 12th, 2009 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4992558/>