Write short essay relating the artwork and social critique.

– Identify a social critique you agree
with
– Write short essay relating the
artwork and social critique
– Submit your Art History Meme Short
Essay to the turnitin.com link in the
Week Fifteen folder.
– Present Art History Meme in-class
during Week Fifteen
Requirements:
– 500 – 600 words. short essay ( 5
paragraphs, about 2 pages double
spaced) each paragraph needs a
minimum of 3 sentences.
– Double spaced, times new roman, 12
pt. font
– 2 cited sources, one needs to be the
textbook and the other is any
credible source. Try to go for the websites that end with .edu or .gov.
Such websites usually have unbiased information. For example, if you
are writing on any journalism topic, then go for BBC or other
well-known news websites. Always avoid the least reliable sources, such
as blogs or random articles.
– Chicago Manual Style Notes and Bibliography, you may use endnotes or
footnotes style. Avoid quotes and rephrase cited information in your
own words and CITE information that you use.
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.
Meme generator: Link to one of many free meme generators:
https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/10430610/School
Beware: meme generator sites may have inappropriate or not-safe-for-work
content. Use at your own discretion. (FYI: You do not need to make an
account on this site to save the meme image, you can simply copy the
finished image from the website)
*****Meme must be appropriate and respectful. NO offensive language or
derogatory remarks*****
FOLLOW THIS Example:
If you do not use a meme generator just post the image and add the meme
caption.
Caption: “When you said you would go out with your friends tonight but
you’d rather scroll instagram instead”
Artwork: John Everett Millais, Ophelia, 1852.
Introduction: Briefly summarize your social critique. This might include a
recent event, as well as an overview of such an event. It is essential to identify
your tone and attitude towards this critique in the introduction. Conclude the
intro paragraph by introducing the artwork (artist, title, date) that will visually
represent your agenda and how, as your thesis. Thesis topic: what is the
social critique you are hoping to draw with the artwork and meme and,
briefly, what visual aspects/social aspects of the original artwork help
represent your agenda?
Example: Even though social media as an aspect of technology helps
humankind, it has brought many negative impacts that outweigh its
advantages. Social media platforms are responsible for the varied problems
that we face in society such as deteriorating relationships with families and
health problems among others. *Thesis example:* By including John Everett
Millais’ painting, Ophelia, from 1852, as a visual aid in this social critique, one is
able to equate the emotional absence of the isolated, floating figure to the
negative effects of social media on our everyday lives. (follow this thesis
model to build your own thesis!)
Body Paragraph 1: The artwork. Provide the historical context and a visual
analysis. Use and cite textbook to support historical context.
Example: John Everett Millais was part of a group of painters called the
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. This group opposed the contemporary scenes
that the Realists depicted. Instead, the PRB painted fictional, historical and
fanciful subjects. They wanted to create art that was free from the ugliness of
the contemporary world. In this painting, Millais represented the figure
Ophelia based off of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Shakespeare describes Ophelia as
drowning and so consumed with her own madness that she is completely
unaware of her fate. Ophelia looks like she is absent from the rest of the
world, in an impossibly beautiful environment, and does not have a care in
the world. She is floating alone, with an open mouth and gaze turned towards
the sky. Her hands and face are uncovered by water while the rest of her body
appears to be sinking and barely floating at the same time, as if she is
suspended in the river water. This scene is flanked by brushy river grasse and
wildflowers, some of which she has dragged into the water with her.
Body Paragraph 2:
Social commentary. What critique are you making? How is it relevant to our
current time? Is there a solution? Use a credible source to support your
stance. Be sure to lead in with a connection to the artwork before you begin
your commentary.
Example: The isolation and loneliness in Millais’ work also reflects a current
issue today. Many people, especially the youths, are glued to such social
media platforms chatting and sharing information with friends online.
However, the young generation does not give much attention to their siblings
and parents, or other family members hence lead to family breakups among
other challenges. Besides, most of the people who engage in social media
seldom take meals together as the majority find themselves busy on social
media platforms. Such behaviors deteriorate family values and morals as
technology continues to bring a variety of activities on social media platforms.
Body Paragraph 3:
Further connect the artwork with your social critique. How does the artwork
help you push your agenda? What about the artwork’s historical context,
composition, style, figures, content, relate to your platform and your message.
Is the artwork itself relevant to the message or are you giving it a modern
meaning?
Example: By using the artwork Ophelia, one can connect the expression on
her face and the potential agonizing effects of social media on our personal
relationships. Secondly, the availability of social media platforms not only
causes disorientation in the families but also causes severe problems to
individual users. Many people become addicted to social media to the extent
of missing essential activities for body maintenance such as exercise, eating
as well as bathing. While Millais never imagined Ophelia as a poster-child for
social media impacts, the single body floating in isolation emits a similar
emotion we might sometimes feel when we become hostage to the scrolls of
Instagram or Facebook, which is near-suspension from the everyday real
world. As time moves forward in the painting, we can imagine Ophelia will be
drifting down the river, until she is succumbed by nature and that inevitable
drift is widespread in comparison to social media’s impact on our own world
views, personal relationships, and personal mental health.
Conclusion: In this paragraph, you need to show how your ideas from the
body support the statement in the first paragraph. It is not a summary, but
this part will close the question raised in the introduction part. When writing
conclusions of social commentary essays, students should restate the thesis
statement in different words and elaborate on the accomplishment of the
composition.
Example: While social media does contribute positively to our lives in terms of
staying connected with friends and family from around the world or even
managing business enterprises, too much possession of such privileges
results in more harm than good in our society that negatively affects our
social relationships. In the same fate of Ophelia who was consumed with her
own madness she became unaware of what would happen to her, we may
await a similar social fate. Even though social media has become essential to
our lives and current world, if we do not acknowledge its negative impact on
our physical social life we may lose sight of the mental and physical health
benefits of being out in the world instead of being alone, interacting with our
screens.
Followed by CMS Citation Bibliography and Endnotes. (may use footnotes
if you like instead of Endnotes)
https://www.bibliography.com/chicago/using-endnotes-and-a-bibliography/
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_editio
n/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.ht
ml

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