October 26, 2012

Our Perceptions

Public Secrets does a masterful job of allowing people from all different points of view to see life inside the prison through individual pathways. We perceive prisons from the outside with little knowledge of what goes on inside. Going through Public Secrets you see things through a different lens that enacts change on common misconceptions or ideas.

With regards to the layout, it really is fascinating and in my opinion draws you in. Who wouldn't want to click on the individual blocks that have different life stories on them, most of which hit a sensory feeling or emotion? The borders lay a close resemblance to prison cells and draw a closer tie to the difference between being behind bars or free.

Through the women’s scope we can see how degrading the public prison system is and how the perceptions shape what goes on inside and outside of the prison. As you go through as a reader you can’t help but question the prior misconception you had before clicking each individual block.

When we look at a prison system we are looking at it as an island. It has an individual language that from the outside we are unfamiliar with. Bordered by barbed fences we as a law have dehumanized people that go to certain prison systems. People in previous writings have been drawing comparisons with langue and parole; to me langue simply put is significantly shaped behind the cars of a prison system. The system of communication changes as the lifestyle does. 

9 comments:

lvg10 said...

Your approach to Daniel's piece is very interesting, I like the fact that you talked about it like being able to see prison through a new lens and that this is what Daniel is offering to us, a new perspective. The idea that the "native tongue" is crafted by the lifestyle in prison is a profound thought. That out of these isolated circumstances comes a new vernacular that further isolates these imprisoned women is interesting.

Unknown said...

I like where you sad each of the blocks hit a sensory feeling/emotion. I mentioned something similar in my post, and further pointed out that the audio clip accompanying the quotes worked to enhance our feelings of empathy as readers towards the women speaking. Do you feel that the same emotional understanding/empathy would be present if there were no audio clips and solely text?

Anonymous said...

It is interesting and nice for the point of view that is given to us in "Public Secrets". Does this create a different genre or point of view that effects the rhetorical situation? Would the way that they communicate effect the message that they deliver to the outside world who has no real perception of prison?
Does it being women telling their stories have more of an impact on the perception of prison or less of an impact? Do we still hold the same perception of women as in prison and outside of prison or do we hold more emption and compassion for those being tortured in prison?

Karlyn Mckell said...

James Lannon, I definitely don't think the same emotional understanding/empathy would be found with just the written text. I talked about in a previous post that I thought the power of the audio clip was that the prisoner still remained "faceless", still an outcast of society. But we could hear their voice, their desperate, abused voice, and it was powerful. Written text couldn't convey the emotions the audio clips did, and I think that audio clips instead of video clips was an appropriate choice given the subject.

I also like the idea of a "native prison tongue". We have learned in class how every region, and then every generation in this region, have their own tongue. Why would prison not be any different?

Jenny, I definitely think that the POV of this piece affects the rhetorical situation. I have talked about previously on this blog how prisoners are people the average person in America simply doesn't deal with. We don't entertain thoughts of them save when watching a movie. I don't lay in bed awake at night thinking about their horrible conditions- but maybe now I will. I found the piece to be extremely emotionally powerful and I have a lot more compassion for prisoners.

Shanae Simon said...

I feel that Public Secrets is a way for outsiders to take a look into the the women's perceptions on the prison system. Without it, we would not be able to see how things truly are for the women. I feel that it is an intentional fallacy for "us" being the outsiders to perceive the prison as a safe and un-cruel place for the women inmates.

Shanae Simon said...

I feel that Public Secrets is a way for outsiders to take a look into the the women's perceptions on the prison system. Without it, we would not be able to see how things truly are for the women. I feel that it is an intentional fallacy for "us" being the outsiders to perceive the prison as a safe and un-cruel place for the women inmates.

Unknown said...

I agree that clicking through these stories and having more than one account from one inmate gives us the opportunity to become comfortable with their voice and familiarize ourselves with them. This goes back to your idea of having a separate system of communication behind bars.
James, I find it difficult to think I would feel the same sympathy towards these women if their voices had not been included. My preconceived notion of them as wrong-doers who were stripped of their rights, in a way, dehumanizes them so without that voice and personality thrust upon this discourse I couldn't connect with them as I have in this way.

Unknown said...

I like how you relate the actual hypertext to the idea of a prison. You cant hear an individuals story until you click on it because its confined within, like prison walls.

John Smith said...

I agree that they have their own language; the prisoner's lexicon is unique because rather than the unconscious immersion of knowledge that Daniel associates the "public secrets" the prisoner's language is the removal and exposure from such a system, that in turn lets them see flawed sources of meaning tat lead to power.

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.