As I read through this article I think about the high school class that I observed the last few weeks. The teacher was teaching how to write a research paper and, more importantly, how to find good scholarly sources. As I walked around pretending I was an expert on this particular skill I desperately wanted to just tell students to start at Wikipedia and then move on from there. That's how I've done it for many different types of papers. While the information may be,"no more immune to human nature than any other utopian project. Pettiness, idiocy, and vulgarity are regular features of the site" (Schiff), it still serves as a good starting point for any research.
I found the history given in this article to be very interesting. Sometimes I feel like someone has a good idea and it only really takes off when combined (or taken) with something else. It reminds me a lot of the whole Facebook story. In the beginning Wales and Sanger created a website that only got a few articles and when they were introduced to wiki software the whole entire website took off. I find it very interesting to learn how Wikipedia began, given I never really thought about the fact it was created. I guess I always just assumed it had always been there.
I also find it very interesting to read about the 'editors' or 'authors' of this website. I have always known that anyone can post literally anything on this website, which is makes it unreliable for research perfectly understandable. I cannot imagine taking the time to go through random articles and edit them, I honestly can even imagine taking the time to create an article..not that there is a lot of broad topics left to be written about. I also can picture these people, with their degrees, sitting in their mother's kitchen waiting for dinner to be served and editing away at wikipedia. I laugh a little bit at this image to be completely honest. I don't believe there is such a thing a useless knowledge, but some of the things you can find on wikipedia are just simply ridiculous and not even jeopardy worthy!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Pygmalion Act 5
One of the most memorable lines in Act V, for me at least, is when Eliza and Pickering are speaking,
Eliza It was just like learning to dance in the fashionable way: there was nothing more than that in it. But do you know what began my real education?
Pickering What?
Eliza Your calling me Miss Doolittle that day when I first came to Wimpole Street. That was the beginning of self-respect for me. [She resumes her stitching]. And there were a hundred little things you never noticed, because they came naturally to you. Things about standing up and taking off your hat and opening doors— (5.137-9)
I love this conversation because it really made me think about Eliza's transformation. I'm sure when Pickering called her 'Miss Doolitle' it had been the first time anyone had addressed her in this way. Not only that but I honestly believe that Eliza, as a flower girl, had very little self respect before she began to work with Higgins, just as she states in this conversation. Eliza's statement also seems somewhat anti-feminist, which I feel as though she could have been considered before she began working with Higgins. I also feel that this statement could have been said to upset Higgins, who was present in the room.
Later in Act V Eliza says, "I want a little kindness. I know I'm a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but I'm not dirt under your feet. What I done [correcting herself] what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I come—came—to care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like. (5.248)" To me this shows he wanting to live a somewhat simple life, to not marry rich or live a life entirely of wealth. I think she knows she is better than a common flower girl now but she realizes that she can achieve her hopes and dreams without being rich. Eliza did not come to Higgins' expecting to end up wealthy, but she came with the hopes of being a shop girl, living a simple life.
Eliza It was just like learning to dance in the fashionable way: there was nothing more than that in it. But do you know what began my real education?
Pickering What?
Eliza Your calling me Miss Doolittle that day when I first came to Wimpole Street. That was the beginning of self-respect for me. [She resumes her stitching]. And there were a hundred little things you never noticed, because they came naturally to you. Things about standing up and taking off your hat and opening doors— (5.137-9)
I love this conversation because it really made me think about Eliza's transformation. I'm sure when Pickering called her 'Miss Doolitle' it had been the first time anyone had addressed her in this way. Not only that but I honestly believe that Eliza, as a flower girl, had very little self respect before she began to work with Higgins, just as she states in this conversation. Eliza's statement also seems somewhat anti-feminist, which I feel as though she could have been considered before she began working with Higgins. I also feel that this statement could have been said to upset Higgins, who was present in the room.
Later in Act V Eliza says, "I want a little kindness. I know I'm a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but I'm not dirt under your feet. What I done [correcting herself] what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I come—came—to care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like. (5.248)" To me this shows he wanting to live a somewhat simple life, to not marry rich or live a life entirely of wealth. I think she knows she is better than a common flower girl now but she realizes that she can achieve her hopes and dreams without being rich. Eliza did not come to Higgins' expecting to end up wealthy, but she came with the hopes of being a shop girl, living a simple life.
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