A-P-P-L-E 3 Feb 2010

I didn't really know what to expect the first day of class. I was relieved at the beginning of class when I wasn't one of my professor's few "victims" chosen to tell a story because at the time the only one I could think of was as embarrassing as when your parents show your boyfriend or girlfriend your naked baby pictures. However, the potential for my face to turn bright red hadn't fully passed yet, as I was one of the people chosen to try and communicate to the volunteer to draw the word apple on the board in all caps. Of course, rather than simply saying "draw the word apple in all caps" in a brief stream of nervousness I said, "A-P-P-L-E". Although, I was not fully embarrassed in fact I was somewhat proud when the professor then informed me that I was the first person he's ever heard attempt to communicate the symbol in such a way. Just another reminder of my tendency to think abnormally from my peers.

After that thought provoking activity we watched two short videos. Despite the fact that he played the first video, "Waking Life", twice I still had trouble wrapping my head around it. However, in our second class one student brought up an intriguing line form the video in which jogged my memory. It was when the woman talked about "love" having no meaning. I agreed with my peer's response that if we let a word symbolize a significant feeling than it does have meaning. We give it meaning, essentially through a consensus, agreeing to allow that word to hold a particular meaning. However, it was the second video that really caught my attention.

The second video was called "Love Without Talking" and it made me think about symbols and love in a completely different way. It's intriguing to think about the fact that verbal communication is not a necessary part of human life. The video is clearly showing the value of signs as opposed to voice. The ability to communicate with someone in such a way that it enables close bonds to be formed without ever really talking to one another is astonishing. Not only through the obvious lack of verbal usage between the main character and his lady friend, but also by recognizing how he's feeling and even a little bit of what he's thinking simply by watching what he does. Whether it's through his obvious body language while he's moping around and constantly sighing, or whether it's the less obvious signs such as the photo copier monotonously repeating beep after beep. Clearly symbolizing the repetitiveness of this man's depressing life style. The film was exceptionally effective in the sense that it forces you to think, be more observant and the fact that it's a situation everyone has at some point or another gone through in their life, making the short film especially relatable.