kopf in den wolken : Rubrik:Unibla!

määhhh....

strandi — 2008-04-17T11:12:00Z

... ist wahrscheinlich der Laut, den man heute am meisten von mir vernehmen wird. (Es empfiehlt sich nicht, am Mittwochabend - Donnerstagmorgen trinkend und gröhlend zu verbringen, wenn man Donnerstagmorgen schon wieder an der Uni sein muss.)

Alles beginnt mit der recht unschuldig-unverfänglichen Idee, im Mappamondo (da in unmittelbarer Uninähe und Studentenbudget freundlich) noch kurz ein Bier zu trinken und ein wenig zu jassen, was sich ja so noch recht unverfänglich liest. Wenn da nicht solche Probleme bestehen würden, dass das Mappamondo irgendwann (11 oder 12? Ich weiss nicht mehr....) schliesst und Sarah darum diktatorisch entscheidet, dass alle jetzt zu ihr nach Hause kommen müssen, damit man dort noch weiterjassen kann.

Da wurde dann aber zuerst mal eine Wohnungsführung auf Französisch gehalten und danach Spaghetti und Sauce gekocht, während Orlando für alle Smokey Martinis mixte und Sarah Weinflasche Nummer 1 öffnete. Das war dann schon recht heiter (durch Gelächter und schrägem Fotoposing aber noch recht weit vom ursprünglich geplanten Jass entfernt) und diese Stimmung wurde dann irgendwann aus der Küche ins Wohnzimmer verfrachtet und dort wurde trotz allem dann endlich doch noch gejasst! Sieg! war mein erster Gedanke, aber den konnte ich kaum zu Ende denken, denn nach einer Runde haben wir schon wieder aufgehört. Und Gämsch gespielt (und s'Ursi und ich haben naturellement gewonnen!). Und dann Geischt (was echt doof ist, aber das sage ich wohl nur, weil ich am schlechtestem war). Dann war es so ca. 2 Uhr morgens und wir nur alle am Kichern. Was macht man in so einer Situation? Klar, man schaut sich Herr der Ringe "Die Gefährten" (Extended Version) an. Und ja, Sarah schlief ein, wie zu erwarten war. Ich dann aber auch irgendwann.

Ich bin dann irgendwann wieder aufgewacht, so gegen 5 und da wollten die anderen dann unbedingt noch ein Trinkspiel machen. Sowas. Bin ich vor Schreck gleich wieder eingeschlafen. Wieder aufgewacht, Ursi neben mir und sie fragt so: "Ob es schon nach 8 ist?", ich schrecke auf, suche ein Handy, stelle erleichtert fest, dass es erst 7.31 ist, sammle meine Sachen zusammen, versuche dann Chris zu wecken (weil der doch auch an die Uni und noch so ein Writing Skills Aufsatz ausdrucken muss), was sich als durchaus schwierig gestaltet, dann sind irgendwie sofort alle wach, der Bäcker wurde besucht, Tee getrunken und darum bin ich dann doch erst um 8.40, also 25 Minuten zu spät in meiner Vorlesung erschienen.

Tja, war aber recht toll, danke liebste Sarah, gerne wieder einmal, Haare schneide ich dir am Freitag. Küsschen!

Ganz nebenbei bemerkt: "friends with benefits" sollte man nicht ausschlagen, wenn es angeboten wird, richtig?

EDIT: Charlotte Roche über ihr Buch. Wird morgen gekauft!

(Teil 1)

(Teil 2)

O Corin, that thou knew'st how I do love her!

strandi — 2008-02-10T20:04:00Z

Uff, ein anstrengendes Wochenende, Samstags und Sonntags je 7 Stunden rehearsals. Das erste Wochenende von Theaterproben für das Shakespearestück, das diesen Sommer auf die Bühne des Mappomondo kommt, inszeniert von Studenten des English Departments der Uni Bern.

Ich habe aus Freiwilligenmangel gleich zwei Rollen bekommen, was bestimmt sehr lustig sein wird (ich habe immer noch weniger Zeilen als Rosalind....), denn wer will nicht von sich behaupten können, dass er gleichzeitig einen schwulen Klatschreporter und einen hoffnungslos verliebten und Karies verursachend romantischen Mechaniker gespielt hat. Und mehr erfährt man, wenn man ans Stück kommt. So.

Steinherzfall

strandi — 2008-01-31T17:51:00Z

Es ist wirklich beruhigend zu hören, dass sich zu wenig Leute für das Sprachassistenzjahr angemeldet haben, dann steigen die Chancen unglaublich stark an.

ARDA all over again....

strandi — 2008-01-25T19:22:00Z

Mag sich noch jemand daran erinnern? Es ist wieder da, dieses Gefühl in all seiner Hals zuschnürenden und vor Angst lähmenden Herrlichkeit.

Dieses Mal ist es aber was ganz anderes: ich studiere ja Englisch in Bern und um mein Studium abschliessen zu können, muss ich mindestens 6 Monate in einem englisch sprachigen Land verbringen. Weil man aber bei 6 Monaten im Ausland sein mindestens ein Semester verliert und am Schluss sowieso ein Jahr länger studiert (denn im Ausland an einer Uni zu studieren ist meistens nur schweineteuer und angerechnet wird eh nicht alles), habe ich mich entschieden, gleich ein ganzes Jahr Studiumspause zu machen. Ich will nämlich einfach mal was anderes machen, als immer nur lernen und ich habe nie ein Zwischenjahr gemacht, was heisst, dass ich seit meinen 7. (6. ? Wann fängt man nochmal mit der Primarschule an?) Lebensjahr zur Schule gehe, ohne Unterbruch.

Es ist also entschieden und was ich in diesem Jahr machen will, dass weiss ich auch schon: ich will unbedingt ins Sprachassistenzprogramm. D.h. ich assistiere einen Deutschlehrer in Grossbrittanien und würde dass auch für 9 Monate machen. Das Anmeldeformular ist fristgerecht und vollständig eingereicht, d.h. warten und ich habe jetzt einen riesigen Bammel davor, dass es eben doch nicht klappt. Angst.

EDIT: Alternativen zum Sprachassistenzprogramm gibt es ja viele. Neben einfach ein wenig jobben, finde ich wwoofing sehr interessant. Wird man zwar nicht bezahlt, aber man braucht auch kein Geld. Teilweise lesen sich die Angebote auch toll, wenn man mal Zeit ohne viel Zivilisation und mit viel Natur haben will. Überlegenswert. (so Monate ohne Internet und Telefon auch gleich ausschalten, nur lesen, schreiben, wandern, etc.)

I'M A REGULAR DRAMA KING

strandi — 2007-12-14T14:16:00Z

Also: nächste Woche am Mittwoch werde ich so in Bern ein bisschen Theater spielen. So ein bisschen mehr als ich eigentlich geplant habe, denn jemand ist ausgefallen und dann hätte man da ja sowas absagen müssen, das geht ja gar nicht! Zusätzlich zu Tweedledee bin ich also auch noch ein gewisser Clive, was sehr gut zu meiner gespaltenen Persönlichkeit passt.

Wer also am Mittwoch sehen will, wie ich ein Blinddate habe, versuche, mich in einem Schirm zu verstecken, und dann auch noch jemanden zum ~~Ritter~~ ~~Husband~~, nein, Cäptain schlage, soll also besser kommen. Contrariwise!

So da geht man linkischerweise hin, für mehr infos: >>>link<<<

Idiot

strandi — 2007-12-06T15:01:00Z

Es bringt ja relativ viel, wenn man zwar seinen Text für den "Creative Writing Workshop" extra nochmals überarbeitet und erweitert hat und auf den Ipod lädt (zum an der Uni ausdrucken), und man dann das IpodPcVerbindungskabel vergisst.

Ach scheisse!

(To have it read out loud to a bunch of people - I just used the older version - was mortifiing beyond anything...)

pha!

strandi — 2007-12-03T13:17:00Z

Heute gerade in einem Email einen "poisonous frog" genannt worden. Und dann noch den Versuch eines herablassend-vernichtenden Blick gekriegt, von der gleichen Person.

Man macht im Leben nicht immer nur Freunde. (ob ich die besagte Person mal fragen sollte, ob sie nicht mein Blogtroll sein will? Dann kann Mademoiselle Différentielle mal Pause machen, wenn sie will.)

Ausserdem: Die Uni wird gestrichen. (Wie herrlich zweideutig dieser simple Satz doch ist ;)

Ausserausserdem: Am 8. Dezember ist wieder einmal Christmas Party vom English Department. Aloha!

Essay IV: last, but not least!

strandi — 2007-01-30T23:23:00Z

Letztes Erstsemester-Essay *schnüff*. Wie gewohnt wird das hier wieder Sicherheitskopie sicherstellend reingestellt. Aber könnte nicht mal jemand was dazu kommentieren? Sowas wie: "Boa, das ist vielleicht klug und kompetent argumentiert" oder "Mensch, dein Wortschatz ist sehr differenziert und vor allem auch sehr passend", von mir aus darf mensch natürlich auch sowas schreiben wie "Gott, hast du einen beschränkten Wortstand! So beschränkt, wie du selbst, du Niete!"

A two-sided mind Form, structure and language in Carol Ann Duffys Human Interest

Composition II
856 words

Writings Skills with F. Morrissey and S. Hicks
Wednesday Group

31st January, 2007

Sandro Ilg
Matrikelnr.: 06-111-637
Moritzweg 7
3006 Bern
teppichkind@students.unibe.ch

In Carol Ann Duffys Human Interest the narrator tells the reader about how he had killed his ex-girlfriend. The poem shows us the narrator in a bilateral situation. On the one hand he is full of rage and hatred for his ex-girlfriends betrayal, She stank of deceit. (line 7), but on the other hand he is full of grief (line 13) and love for the woman he had killed. This two-sided mind of the narrator is shown in the poems form and structure, as well as in its language.

The poems form reminds the reader of the Petrarch Sonnet. Although the rhyming fits this definition, the line breaking is not accurate. Typically [in the Petrarch Sonnet], the ninth line forms the volta (or turn), which signals a change in tone or theme. (from a handout about the sonnet from the lingM1 course with Matt Kimmich) And as the Petrarch Sonnet usually has twice an octave, followed by twice a sestet, the turn traditionally begins with the third stanza. This is where the reader finds a break with the Petrarch Sonnets conventional form. The second stanza has not the traditional four lines, but three, which also breaks apart the rhyming scheme, as the first line of the third stanza now rhymes with the second stanza. As there is a break with the length of the stanzas, the volta might be misplaced, but remains in the poem, as the eight line now functions as a signal for a turn in theme. The break in this poem is made between She stank of deceit. (line 7) and I loved her. (line 8), which shows exactly how the two feelings of love and hatred co-exist in the narrators mind and this mind is as torn apart as the form of the second stanza.. The break with the Petrarch Sonnets classic form, the break in the second stanza, is an indication for the break in the narrators mind.

The structure of the poem again represents the narrators two-sided mind. The story is not told in a coherent way, but the narrator tells it in sequences as he moves from the presence to the past and finally moves back to his present state again. The narrator begins from his present state in prison, moves then back to the deed itself and after explaining the past situation that made him kill her, he goes back to his feelings in present time, he shifts forth and back in time. Again, the outer form indicates the narrators inner feelings. He understands and sees his present state, which is disrupted by the past that forces his way back into his mind, hence the shifting back in time from the presence, to the killing and finally to the later state of the relationship, before he is forced back to his present state again. This shows also that the narrator cannot let go of what happened. Whilst describing the killing and her betrayal with passionate hatred, he also clearly states his love to her and his grief over what he has done. He does not believe that he could do something like it ever again and killing her clearly happened in a moment of rage, because he wouldnt harm a fly, no joke. (line 14). The incoherence in the poems structure is another indication for the narrators bilateral mind.

Furthermore, the language of the poem supports my statement of two sidedness throughout the poem. As the title Human Interest could be interpreted in many ways which may indicate the expression of different themes in the poem, I willingly leave it out of my argumentation as it does not support my argument in a relevant way. In the beginning of the poem there is an everyday usage of words, but as the narrator goes on to his ex-girlfriends betrayal, his language becomes more vulgar. The quotes I slogged my guts out for her. (line 5) and She stank of deceit. (line 7) clearly show that the narrator was in a state of rage and now that he remembers her betrayal, when [s]he used to meet / some prick after work (lines 6 and 7) , the rage comes back again. After that, there is a sudden stop of this usage of vulgar words, he is reminded of his love to her and his language looses the vulgarity. In the end, we have a soft, tender term My baby. (line 13) that collides with another example of his vulgar language: tart (line 13). This again is an example of how the narrators mind is two-sided, divided into rage and love. An bilateral effect that is made through the contrast between everyday, moderate language and vulgar expressions, showing once more the narrators two-sided mind.

Carol Ann Duffys poem Human Interest deals with the two sidedness of the narrators mind. Throughout the story, the narrators bilateral mind is shown, as it is torn apart by hatred and love. The two sidedness of the narrators mind is represented in his broken form, incoherent structure and the usage of contrasting language.

Human Interest

Fifteen years minimum, banged up inside 1
for what took thirty seconds to complete.
She turned away. I stabbed. I felt this heat
burn through my skull until reason had died.

I slogged my guts out for her. She lied 5
when I knew different. She used to meet
some prick after work. She stank of deceit.

I loved her. When I accused her she cried
and denied it. Straight up, she tore me apart.
On the Monday, I found the other bloke 10
had bought her a chain with a silver heart.

When I think about her now, I near choke
with grief. My baby. She wasnt a tart
or nothing. I wouldnt harm a fly, no joke.

Carol Ann Duffy

Hals und Beinbruch. Und auch Schädelbasisbruch.

strandi — 2007-01-17T22:06:00Z

Und da spiel ich den.

Neues essay

strandi — 2007-01-16T09:06:00Z

Und ich find es selbst nicht allzu gut.... naja, wenn ich ungenügent bin, kann ich es ja nachschreiben ;D

3. Discuss the effects of Theodore Dreisers choice of narrative perspectives in Old Rogaum and His Theresa.

Written assignment II
680 words

Introduction to Literature (LitM1), American Literature with Philipp Schweighauser
Tuesday Group

16th January, 2007

Sandro Ilg
Matrikelnr. 06-111-637
Moritzweg 7
3006 Bern
teppichkind@students.unibe.ch

3. Discuss the effects of Theodore Dreisers choice of narrative perspectives in Old Rogaum and His Theresa.

In the short story Old Rogaum and His Theresa the author, Theodore Dreiser, chose an omniscient narrator to tell about the German butcher and his daughter. Trough zero focalization, the omniscient narrator moves from scene to scene, from character to character. In certain scenes however, the reader might find a sequence that is written in internal focalization. The reader has not only an over-all view of the story, but perceives it partially through different characters by internal focalization. While the zero focalization provides the reader with an independent point of view, the internal focalization draws him into the story and makes him perceive what the characters feel.

The zero focalization serves different purposes in this story. In the introduction the zero focalization gives the reader an overall view of the situation, he is introduced to different characters and situation from a rather objective point of view. Throughout the story, this effect is achieved again and again. As the reader knows more than the characters of the story, a feeling of superiority is created and the reader is made to judge the characters from his superior level, with or without taking sides. The reader can judge Mr. Rogaum, because he looked the door and would not let Theresa in, or he can also judge Theresa, because she did not obey to her father. The reader can judge their behaviour and he can take sides, but he does not have to. What the reader can learn from the story gets to him in a clearer way, because he is not automatically drawn to a side, he can judge what happened from a independent angle, his judgement is not affected by the characters. The reader remains an outside observer and therefore an outside judge, he can draw his conclusions of what happened (e.g. the whole tragedy about Emily, the girl who committed suicide) independently.

Seeing a certain scene through the eyes of one specific character however, draws the reader nearer to the action and the mood of a scene. At the beginning of the story, the reader gets to know Theresa and how she is attracted not only to the streets in the evening, but also to the boys of the neighbourhood, especially the dashing Almerting, a young idler and loafer of the district (Baym, Nina (ed.) (2003): The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Page 953). In this first scene, the reader sees trough Theresas eyes, he knows what she feels, how she experiences things. The night life is shown to the reader as something exciting, new and wonderful, because he sees it through a young girls eyes. The reader perceives her excitement and her mixed feelings, when Almerting bids for her. Because the reader is in the scene, he experiences it on a more direct and more personal level. At the end of the scene, when Theresa finally runs home after the repeated calls from her father, Almerting leav[es] Theresa to wonder whether she had alienated him forever or no. (Baym, Nina (ed.) (2003): The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Page 954) and at the same time the reader wonders as well, because he experiences the scene through her eyes. The internal focalization draws the reader nearer to the events and characters than the zero focalization could, it makes him feel with the characters.

Though the story Old Rogaum and His Theresa might overall have a zero focalization, certain scenes however have an internal focalization. Both forms have a different effect on the story: while the zero focalization keeps the reader out of the story and supports a judgement of the story independent from the characters, the internal focalization in certain scenes does the opposite, it draws the reader into the action, so he can fully experience the characters feelings. Both forms of focalization serve different effects in the story. While the zero focalization makes the reader to an independent judge, he is drawn into the story and the characters feelings by the internal focalization.

MEIN ESSAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

strandi — 2006-12-19T23:41:00Z

Für "Writing Skills" (aka "Writing Kills") und ich stell das hier mal rein, falls die CD nicht funktioniert oder ich den Anhang in meinem Email nicht öffnen kann, dass ich mir selber geschickt habe. Ich besitze nämlich keinen Drucker und muss das morgen in der Uni noch ausdrucken. Kommentare sollen sich bitte soweit beschränken, dass ihr mir keine Rechtschreib- oder Grammatikfehler sagt, weil ich dann auch nichts mehr ändern kann, weil ich es schon abgeben habe!

The use of the epistolary form in Bram Stokers Dracula

Composition I
736 words

Writings Skills with F. Morrisey and S. Hicks
Wednesday Group

20th December, 2006

Sandro Ilg
Matrikelnr.: 06-111-637
Moritzweg 7
3006 Bern
teppichkind@students.unibe.ch
At the time Bram Stoker wrote his novel Dracula, the epistolary form used by him was already considered rather old fashioned. My argumentation is built on the assumption that Bram Stoker chose this narrative form for a specific reason, that he chose it because it was more suitable than any other writing form. I will prove on specific examples why the epistolary form is suitable for Dracula, regarding the two points of greater realism and therefore grater horror and characterisation.

By the use of everyday writing forms, a greater realism is added to a story. In Bram Stokers Dracula, there is among other narratives mediums, such as letters and telegrams also fictive clips from British newspapers. Those newspaper clips that combine existing places and fictive events, brings the story nearer to the reader and makes it therefore more fearsome. The reader gets the information of Count Draculas arrival (in the form of a dog or wolf) in England from a newspaper clipping:

CUTTING FROM THE DAILYGRAPH, 8 AUGUST [] Whitby, 9 August. [] It turns out that the schooner is Russian from Varna, and is called the Demeter. She is almost entirely in ballast of silver sand, with only a small amount of cargo, a number of great wooden boxes filled with mould. [] A good deal of interest was abroad concerning the dog which landed when the ship struck, []
(Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Pages 89,94)

On the existing shore of Whitby, the ship which brought Count Dracula to England run ashore. This adds a directness to the story which makes it more verisimilar and therefore more fearsome. The reader gets the feeling that Dracula might actually have landed on the British shore of Whitby.

Another reason for the suitability of the epistolary form of Dracula is the way in which the characters are described. The main protagonists apart from Count Dracula join together in the fight against the Count and form most of the story by their different diaries, so they are described rather positively, as the two quotations He [Jonathan Harker] has won all hearts by his sweetness and gentleness. (Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Page 112) and The Professor [Van Helsing] was delighted. Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina, he said, pearl among women! [] (Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Page 229) show, but the Count himself of course is also only described by those who fight or fear him. The following is an excerpt from the log of the Demeter, the ship which brought Count Dracula to London:

I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm, so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw it, Him! God forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. [] But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail, and along with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch.
(Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Page 99)

The captain fears whatever is on the ship, but he has no idea what it is or how it works. This is a good example how Count Dracula is described in the book and what effects this has. As the Count is only described by his enemies, the image the reader gets from him remains vague. The reader does not get any specific information, about his intensions, powers or origin. The reader knows as little or as much as the Counts enemies do. I believe it is the Count, but he has grown young. My God, if this be so! Oh, my God! My God! If only I knew! If only I knew! (Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Page 183), Jonathan Harker exclaims. The Count remains a mystery. A dark, evil monster of unknown origin and unknown powers. His characterisation though made from different views by different narrators remains unilateral. The reader sees him as a monster and nothing else.

The greater realism and the way of characterisation are the two arguments why the epistolary form is suitable for Bram Stokers Dracula. Through the use of everyday writing forms, a greater realism and therefore greater horror is added. The unilateral characterisation of Count Dracula makes sure that the Count remains a fearsome monster and a mystery to the reader. The epistolary form functions as a way that makes this horror story even more fearsome.

Sources

Text:

Stoker, Bram (2005): Dracula. Dehli: Tiny Tot Publications.

Image:

http://www.alexhorley.com/Images/dracula.jpg

Verstört.

strandi — 2006-11-11T13:43:00Z

Den werde ich auf einer Bühne Ende Januar spielen.