Cartoon Analysis Essay: Week 11

For my analysis I chose the cartoon above, chiefly because of its tie-in to something that is near and dear to my heart: Optometry. As I have previously mentioned, I am preparing to go to Optometry school after graduation from OU.  I absolutely cannot wait to be able to serve patients like this little one, hopefully being able to correct his eye insufficiency while also correcting this point of view. I think part of what makes this cartoon appeal to me is that it is inherently true, but not in the way the boy thinks. The glasses are simply a corrective instrument that allows one to better interpret information, but cannot read or comprehend anything on their own.

This blissfully ignorant idea from the child in the cartoon is quite beautiful -- being able to read by solely by wearing these magical omnipotent frames. The first thing that comes to mind that makes this cartoon effective is the title over the glasses display that reads, "Reading Glasses". The child comprehends this as "glasses that read" instead of the intrinsic meaning, "Glasses that better allow you to read".

 I also found the right-center child's expression to be particularly hilarious, especially when considering the situation. Judging by his eyes and his leaned position while gazing at the frames, I can tell the child is having a tough time resolving the frames and signs around the room. His mouth also appears to be agape, which conveys a sense of either shock or wonder at the magical lenses that are presented in front of him.I think the cartoonist has done an excellent job of conveying the lack of resolution power the child has in his eyes currently.

In addition to the main character, there are some parts of the environment that add to the cartoon's humorous appeal. I like to imagine that the other child standing near the speaker is confused by the boy's statement. He could either be thinking, "This stupid guy over here thinks the glasses read for him", or, "I had NO idea that they had glasses that read for you. I gotta get me some!"

Storytelling Post Week 11: First Encounter

Siddhartha erupted from his bed, drenched in sweat from head to toe. He couldn't help but have these horrific dreams -- beggars were crawling around the streets, vandals were breaking windows and screaming expletives at the shop owners, and women were even being molested and raped when out past the late hour. He knew not how these travesties could occur, and he also knew not how he was seeing them. He had never ventured far from the palace. In fact, he believed his father would never let that happen. One day, Siddhartha came up to his father to ask to explore the adjacent streets around the palace. Siddhartha could see the tumult that such a request was causing his father. Siddhartha immdeiately regretted his request and began to inch away from his father, realizing that Siddhartha's request would be too heavy on the heart of the old man. Siddhartha had already turned away when his father put a firm hand onto his shoulder.

His father responded, "My beautiful and strong elephant, you have been held under captivity for far too long. I will permit this request. Let me coordinate.with some of my associates so I will know that you will be under supervision of safely watching eyes."

Siddhartha's father sent his most trustworthy guards and associates around to clean up the streets around the palace. The father knew what Siddhartha needed this trip to clear his mind and conscience, bit this did not mean that Siddhartha needed to see evvery unsightly detail. The king even went so far as to pay the taverns nearby to close their doors for the day. The king thought this would keep the regular patrons from contaminating the beautiful mind of his Siddhartha.

After his final finishing touches on cleaning and decorating the city, the king returned home to Siddhartha to give him permission to travel out on the next morning. Siddhartha, who originally would have been ecstatic to finally escape the confines of the palace, s
eemed aloof upon hearing his father's words. Siddhartha thought to himself, "I made this request of my father so that I may see the good and bad of the world for what it is.But now, I fear that I may not be able to handle the sadness and treachery that exists in the real world." He decided to sleep on it, which only lead to the same sequence of dreams he had the night before.

Wikipedia

The next morning, his father greeted him outside the palace with a beautiful gilded chariot. He appreciated this favor, but he decided to only ride it as far as his father could see. As soon as he leapt down from his perch, he was confronted by a man. The man was missing a few teeth and was covered in day-old soot. The man promised to him, "Oh Siddhartha! I will watch this chariot for you until you return!" Despite his appearance, the man was surely a kind soul, Siddhartha thought.



Author's note:

For my story, I decided to adapt Siddhartha's first encounter outside of the city. I thought it might be interesting to incorporate some level of premonition on Siddhartha's journey through his dreams. I tried to make it apparent that the father's efforts to coddle and protect Siddhartha would be pointless -- which is also sort of the moral of my story.

Link to Life of Buddha

Reading Diary: Life of Buddha Week 11

 Link to Life of Buddha


Link to Untextbook Options

• Nothing like a nice Spring night dream about six-tusked elephants coming down from the sky.
• Disquietude sounds like it's either not a real word, or that it is contemporary slang.
• I don't know about Maya, but I would probably seek another sort of help if I were continually having nightmares about flying elephants.
• Palanquins are the things that they carry around royalty in. They have at four people to put the wooden planks on their shoulders.
• Baby Siddhartha is greeted by the world in absolute blissfulness.
• The brahman;s sang, which I felt was not something common to many brahmans.
• Asita is apparently a person of many austerities, which is pleasing to the gods. The only reason I know the word Austere is because of the Series of Unfortunate Events books. So the gods find the hermit Asita appealing because of his stern demeanor. He's not one of those hippie hermits
• Siddhartha is seen by the King as an award for his deeds. However, I think the king misunderstands this in that Siddhartha is clearly a gift for all of the world.
• I think it's interesting that Buddha is incorporated into Hinduism in some cultures. He is incorporated as an avatar of Vishnu.
• I think it's strange that Siddhartha's presence caused so many prosperous things to happen to the king so directly. I never interpreted Buddha as a lucky charm as person, although I know many people use icons and statuettes of him to wish good luck.
• That is such a cop out ending to Maya's life. The joy of childbirth was "too sweet" for Maya. I don't think that has been said by anyone ever. Maya only met the gleeful reaction of baby Buddha, but never (on earth, at least) saw what he would become.
•  If there was ever any doubt, Siddhartha's life has definite divine important after seeing holy statues come to life to kneel at his feet. The song they sang is interesting because it implies that Siddhartha is greater than the gods that have fallen before him. That would be a lot to swallow as a young man.
• What a cool tie-in to the Ramayana.. Visvamitra, the original mentor to Rama was also the same to young Siddhartha. I don't know the supposed tim-line, but I wonder if one knew about the other?
• The four sights mark an important time where young Buddha is finally able to go out unto the world.
• I can already tell what I would like to write about in my short story: The Four Sights that inspired Buddha to go on his divine journey.
• I think it's interesting that Siddhartha had a wife. I didn't know much of this story before, but I totally expected him to have been a hermit without any interest in marriage or intimate relationships.
• I think one of the most interesting things about this passage is how Siddhartha never settles for the spiritual explanations of his elders. He uses the weaknesses of their points to seek enlightenment.
• The Siddhartha the Hermit chapter answered most of my previous questions. I had totally forgotten that he does not go on his hermitage until later in life. He has all of the reasons that a normal hermit would for going on such a quest, but he seems like he is being truthful to it.
• I know that Siddhartha is important to the royal family, but they must know he has much more important things to do to the world than just stay there with them. One should have offered to go with them like Rama's brother.
• Ascetic: characterized by practice of severe discipline to self and abstention from all forms of indulgence
• I was fairly convinced that I would write about the Four Sights, but Buddha's thooughts while sitting underneath the Bodhi Tree could be really fun to do as well. AND finally I actually know of one scene from this story -- sitting down under the Bodhi tree with the legs being crossed is so iconic.
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  I thought to include more note, but honestly I had already written so much that I felt the notes would be too tasking to read anyway. I wish I better utillized the brevity of some of the Reading Diaries done earlier.