3-2 Short Answer: Biases and Assumptions HUM 102 Module Three Short Answer AssignmentGuidelines and RubricOverview Many times, as we engage with a creative work, our own biases and assumptions creep i
HUM 102 Module Two Project Proposal
Part One: Choose the Creative Works
1. Describe the Two Creative Works
A. Chosen Topic: Mental Health
B. Names of Creative Works:
- The Scream by Edvard Munch (Visual Art)
- Mad Girl’s Love Song by Sylvia Plath (Literary Work)
C. Why I Chose These Creative Works:
Both pieces provide incredibly poignant and symbolic depictions of mental health issues. Through twisted shapes, color, and expressionism, *The Scream* visibly communicates psychological misery and interior anxiety, bringing unseen agony to light. Meanwhile, *Mad Girl’s Love Song* uses lyrical language, repetition, and imagery reminiscent of hallucinations to convey emotional instability and bewilderment. Collectively, they provide insight into how people experience and communicate psychological anguish, reflecting the effects of mental illness on both a personal and societal level.
2. How the Creative Works Can Be Used to Understand the Topic
The two artistic creations, which are from the humanities fields of literature and visual art, each offer a distinct perspective on mental health. Munch's *The Scream* is an example of visual art that uses color and symbolic images to viscerally and universally depict anxiety. As seen in Plath's *Mad Girl's Love Song*, literature provides a personal, introspective experience of emotional turmoil and mental perplexity. By integrating these two viewpoints, we may create a more comprehensive and nuanced knowledge of mental health through both language and visual representation.
3. Value of Diverse Perspectives
*The Scream* is written from a European, male point of view, but it captures a universal sensation of existential horror. On the other hand, *Mad Girl’s Love Song* is based on a female voice negotiating the emotional upheaval of mental instability and love. These opposing viewpoints—one internal and poetic, the other outward and symbolic—enhance our comprehension of mental health as a complex problem impacted by gender, time, and artistic medium.
4. Biases and Assumptions
The visual dramatization of emotional suffering in *The Scream* may contribute to the perception of mental illness as being overt and overwhelming. The poem by Plath may romanticize insanity and heavily emphasize personal emotional anguish, which may not be representative of larger or systemic perspectives. A more critical and inclusive knowledge of the subject is made possible by acknowledging these prejudices.
Part Two: Self and Society
1. How the Creative Works Create Meaning Around the Topic
*The Scream* illustrates how societal settings and individual emotions are intertwined, expressing a strong internal reaction to contemporary society. Plath's poem uses poetic repetition and fragmentation to show how mental illness impacts perception, memory, and identity.
2. Impact on Society’s Perception of the Topic
Both pieces have helped spread the word about mental health. A cultural emblem for psychological anxiety is *The Scream*. *Mad Girl's Love Song* has contributed female viewpoints and emotional depth to the public conversation about mental illness.
3. Perception by Different Groups
While younger audiences associate *The Scream* with contemporary concerns, older audiences may view it as a result of post-industrial isolation. Some people may find Plath's writings empowering, but others may find them too emotional or intimate.
4. Development of Empathy
By making mental illness an emotional experience, these artistic creations humanize it. This increases empathy and lessens stigma, urging people to understand people with mental health issues rather than pass judgment on them.
5. Encouragement of Critical Thinking
Plath's poem pushes the reader to comprehend ambiguity and unreliability in one's own memory and feeling, while *The Scream* encourages interpretation of symbolic and visual evidence. Both pieces invite spectators to consider the unseen aspects of mental health.
Part Three: Identity and the Humanities
1. Relationship Between Humanities and Self-Identity
Humanities creative works facilitate introspection about identity, feelings, and ideas. They offer structures for people to investigate their self-perception and interpersonal relationships.
2. Sociocultural Factors Influencing Identity
Identity formation is influenced by a number of factors, including gender, culture, time period, and social conventions. The settings of Plath and Munch demonstrate how those elements influence both the artists' creations and the interpretations of the audience.
3. Using Humanities Subjects to Understand Identity
The visual arts use symbols to convey inner moods. Thought processes and emotional complexity are revealed through literature. When combined, they provide understanding of both individual and collective facets of identity.
4. Diverse Perspectives and Self-Concept
People are inspired to reconsider who they are when they see how others, such as Plath and Munch, communicate their experiences. One's understanding and acceptance of their own emotional world can be altered by learning about other mental health narratives.
References
Munch, E. (1893). *The Scream*. The Museum of Modern Art. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1305
Plath, S. (1953). *Mad Girl’s Love Song*. AllPoetry. https://allpoetry.com/Mad-Girl's-Love-Song
TEDx Talks. (2017). *Rewriting the Stigma of Mental Illness*. https://youtu.be/p5-YwRad-rs
TEDx Talks. (2019). *What They Don’t Tell You About Mental Illness*. https://youtu.be/ieXB-BGxYwg
