TIPRR/Response Oct 20—Peter Barry, 1-35

Tuesday, October 20, 2009—Peter Barry, 1-35

TIPPR/response #8 -- Intro to Contemporary Theory and Critical Approaches to Viewing, Reading, Thinking and Writing (Barry 1-35) In his Introduction and first chapter, Barry has a great deal to say about his own experience as well as the history of British literature and criticism. Not all of it is equally valuable. Please focus your attention on pp. 1-7 and 12 to 25, with particular attention to 6, 16-20, and 31-35. (You’re looking for central scholars, points of view, and concepts. Try not to be put off by Barry’s extreme “Britishness” and his devotion to literature.)

Prompt 1/Reading: Select one of the “Ten Tenets of Liberal Humanism” (i.e., its half hidden curriculum or underlying assumptions) or “Recurrent Ideas of Theory.” Clearly summarize your understanding of the concept; give a possible example of how it might operate in literature, dramat or film; and speculate on what it might mean for studying media.

Prompt 2/Close Reading/'Practical Criticism" of Beyonce's If I Were a Boy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c0wqoj3lEM) After carefully considering what Barry says about Leavisite style reading and examining his Leavisite-style close reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s story, “The Oval Portrait, please do a similar close reading/practical criticism of Beyonce’s If I Were a Boy.
(The lyrics of If I Were a Boy, written by B J Jean, are included below. The music video was directed by Jake Nova, a British music video, advertising and feature film director.)

Response: Please comment on one of your colleague’s entries on either the reading or analysis of the music video.

(Since I'm new to this, if you have any questions, please e-mail me, sharon_swenson@byu.edu)


Lyrics “If I Were A Boy” by B.J. Jean

“Intimacy”
“Honesty”
“Commitment”
“You.”
“ Me.”

“If I were a boy
even just for a day
I'd roll out of bed in the morning
and throw on what I wanted and go

“Drink beer with the guys
and chase after girls
I'd kick it with who I wanted
and I'd never get confronted for it
cause they stick up for me

“If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

“If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's broken
so they'd think that I was sleeping alone

“I’d put myself first
and make the rules as I go
Cause I know that she’ll be faithful,
waiting for me to come home, to come home.

“If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

“It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake,
think I'd forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
you thought wrong

Him: “When you act like that, I don’t think you know how it makes me look. Or feel.”
Her: “Act like what? Why are you so jealous? It’s not like I’m sleeping with the guy.”
Him: “What?”
Her: “What?”
Him: “I”. . . . huh. . .laugh . . .”said,. . .I said, ‘Why are you so jealous?” “It ain’t like I’m sleeping with the girl.”

But you're just a boy
You don't understand
and you don't understand, ohhhh
How it feels to love a girl
Someday you wish you were a better man
You don't listen to her
You don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
Cause you're taking her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

But you're just a boy