Sitting upon the bench on a gloomy day in the city. The sea of faces and the echoes of chaos are gone for just a moment. The young couple cannot take their eyes off of the bridge- its enormity, its greatness. Looking out at the calm water, they cannot help but be mesmerized by the scene around them. A city known for its noise, its outlandish population, its history. And yet, these two individuals find themselves speechless, unable to carry on a conversation with one another. No dialogue about the striking city that lays in front of them. Not even a slight mention of the weather. The young couple cannot utter a single word to one another. Rather, they are entranced by the amazement that surrounds them. There has never been such a moment where the man and the woman felt so incredibly minuscule in such an overwhelming world. It is here and now, that they realize how small they are compared to the greatness….and how lucky they are have found their peace in each other among the chaos.



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Semiotic Analysis

In the picture above, there are several signifiers; there is a bridge, a bench, a man and a woman, a barren plant, a dog, and pole with traffic signs. All of these signifiers lead to a common signified idea- some sort of city setting where the couple chose to sit down and escape from the chaos. The photo itself is in black and white, suggesting that it captures some sort of moment in the past. There is an absence of both color and chaos that a city would possess. The people, the bench and the light poles are all in a dark shade, while the bridge is some sort of light far off in the distance. This may suggest that the city is somewhat of a dark place, while the bridge or the “distance” is a place of light and happiness. The shading upon each of the images plays an impacting role in the ideas signified. In Sassure’s “Course in General Linguistics” , this idea that an effect upon one signifier impacts the rest of the images is explained. He states: “The move has a repercussion on the whole system; it is impossible for the player to foresee exactly the extent of the effect,” (65). Even though he is referring to a chess piece, this principle applies to a picture of various signifiers. Any changes in these images would result in a change of the photo itself. Even though each image signifies its own individual idea, the images together signify one combined meaning; each signifier works together to achieve a desired meaning.

Works Cited

de Saussure, Ferdinand. "Course in General Linguistics". Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Literary Theory: an Anthology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004.59-71. Print.

Too Much Algebrization, Not Enough Art

“Art is a way of experiencing the artfulness of an object, the object is not important…”-Victor Shklovsky






As an English major, I am constantly reminded how effective literature “de-familiarizes the familiar”, taking an everyday object or idea and somehow making it refreshing and interesting again. Viktor Shklovsky discusses how poetry and prose can take ordinary, almost mundane ideas and make them profound again. He explains, “By this algebraic method of thought we apprehend objects only as shapes with imprecise extensions; we do not see them in their entirety, but rather recognize them by their main characteristics,” (Rivkin, 15). Personally, I see this concept of “algebrization” as an everyday behavior in all aspects of human life. Eventually, by definition of this idea, every behavior will become habitual and formulaic, rather than a joyful task. Although at first this concept saddened me, it also became a personal “wake-up call". Every task I do has almost become routine, allowing me to lose interest in activities I may have previously enjoyed. Through Shklovsky’s theory, I may be able to decrease the amount of “algebrization” I do in my life. If an individual (not unlike myself) takes themselves away from their habitual behaviors, even for a moment, they will be able to see the appeal to the behavior in the first place. Art is supposed to be that moment away from your behavior. By hearing or seeing an everyday object in this new perspective, an individual is intrigued once more.

Sublime on a Ship

Although it may be one of the most cliché clips in film history, Titanic’s infamous “I’m flying” scene proves to be a true example of Longinus’s sublime. Longinus explains one reason why such a clip depicts the sublime, “For a piece is truly great only if it can stand up to repeated examination, and if it is difficult, or rather, impossible to resist its appeal, and it remains firmly and ineffaceably in the memory,” (Longinus, 120). Despite its alleged “cheesiness”, this clip continues to have its appeal; the characters are overwhelmed by the environment around them. Longinus explains that a sublime experience can never be anything but its own sublimity, nothing to examined differently. All agree that it is this remarkable scenario that proves greater than the characters themselves.




The scene opens with Jack meeting up with Rose. Immediately as Rose steps onto the tip of the ship, all communication is eliminated. The characters are instantly caught up in the sublimity around them. Longinus’s explanation fits this scenario perfectly. He explains that the true sublime experiences lies in the acceptance of an overwhelming natural greatness as well as a realization in an individual’s existence. He says, “For this reason the entire universe does not satisfy the contemplation and the thought that lies within the scope of human endeavor, our ideas often go beyond the boundaries by which we are circumscribed, and if we look at life from all sides, observing how in everything that concerns us the extraordinary, the great the beautiful play the leading part, we shall soon realize the purpose of our creation (Longinus, 155). Jack and Rose recognize the greatness among the ocean waves meeting the open sky. It is at this moment that the audience sees these characters recognize their existence upon the natural world. The conflicts that they have grown so wrapped up in throughout the movie appear meaningless when compared to this sublimity. The sublime goes beyond all limits of each characters’ lives. Those boundaries that created a division among the characters is eliminated. Instead, the characters are bound together by their acceptance in the overwhelming natural world. Longinus explores this concept. He describes, “ For when men who differ in their pursuits, their ways of life […..] and their manners all think one and the same way about the same works, then the unanimous judgment,[…..] of discordant voices induces a strong and unshakable faith in the object of admiration,” (Longinus,120).
This clip depicts all the true elements of the sublime. This type of experience is supposed to take an individual away from their current perspective and prove that there is an overwhelming greatness that exists in the world. This scene illustrates that the sublime eliminates all predispositions about society, reminding every person that he/she is only a small existence in nature. Whether it be P.B. Shelly’s experience in his poem “Mont Blanc” or James Cameron’s depiction of Titanic, the sublime proves to be a overwhelming experience that awes anyone who witnesses it.

Works Cited
Murray, Penelope, and T. S. Dorsch. Classical Literary Criticism. London: Penguin, 2000. Print.