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Throughout this Project I will be analyzing 3 different texts for the Reader Response Lens. The 3 texts are: One Thing by Edwidge Danticat, Blood Child by Octavia Butler, and Ports of Madness by Fatou Diome. I really enjoyed all of these story’s because some of the themes and aspects of them are in my life.

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The story Bloodchild by Octavia Butler follows a Terran little boy (Gan) who is chosen to carry the egg of a female Tilc (T’Gatoi). The Terran and Tilc have a Slave-Master relationship where the Terran are lower in status and forced to work for the Tilc. This story has strong ties to slavery in America because the Terran have the role of enslaved people and the Tilc have the role of their oppressors. The others in Bloodchild are the Tilc apart from T’Gatoi because they’re the ones who want to use humans in a harmful manner. “Her people wanted more of us made available. Only she and her political faction stood between us and the hordes who didn’t understand why there was a preserve” (Butler 2). The other Tilc want the Terrans to be readily available and don’t see any reason why they should be protected. The “others” today around the world are many. With recent events that have happened around the world we start to see that we’ve become so divided that we see a lot more “others” nowadays. People assume negative things about others and not only hurt the person whom they're assuming things about but, they hurt themselves even more. By thinking negatively about others they start to become pessimistic and have a negative world view. So really, we need to check ourselves and make sure that we don’t become negative people who don’t encourage a positive and happy community.

The theme of identity in Butler’s story  Bloodchild resonated with me the most. The most striking example of this is in Bloodbath, the main character Gan’s identity is rooted in his role as “host” for the Tilc eggs. In the beginning of the story he feels proud about his role but as he starts to see the physical and emotional toll of the carrying process. At the end of the story, Gan’s identity is based on sacrifice, control over his destiny and submission to the aspects of his life that are out of control. In my own life, I relate to Gan’s sacrifice and submission to his fate. While not on that large of a scale I believe my sacrifices that I’ve made to get where I am today like the endless hours of studying and working have helped me achieve a lot but submission to my destiny has helped me achieve peace of mind. When I stopped worrying and trying to fix things that I don’t have control over, I felt happier.

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Ports of Madness by Fatou Diome is a story that resonated with me a lot because even though Toutina was going through it mentally, her friend had so much love for her that she didn’t want her to go into a mental asylum. This story is similar to my lived experience because sometimes when friends and family have very close relationships they become blind to each other’s faults. For example, in the text, toutina is clearly struggling with her mental health but her friend Constantine believes that she’ll get better. So, ”Constantine was the only one who had not broken off contact with she whom others now only called the madwoman” (Diome). I’m sure a lot of people have this “blindness” to their families and friends issues. Even if they recognize it, it can be hard to speak up about it.

In Ports of Madness, the characters’ actions and personalities are ones that are found in many parts of my life. For example, Constantine is a friend who only wants the best for her friend Toutina but, she doesn’t help her in the right way. Toutina needed a friend that would recognize her depression and mental struggle caused by her husband being absent. Constantine would see Toutina switch personalities and have monologues but she thought it would pass so she didn’t take action. This aspect of Ports of Madness resonated with me a lot because it’s a reminder to always look out for your friends and family even if they tell you they're ok. Also, having a moral compass of doing what’s best for your loved one on whether they’re against it or not sometimes is important.

The text is different from my personal experience because it highlights the idea of having a loved one with mental health issues. I personally don’t have a loved one who deals with mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety so I can’t relate to Constantine’s experience in trying to be there for Toutina through her struggles. The text affected me by making me more aware of my loved ones and constantly being there for them so that they don’t feel alone and depressed like Toutina in Ports of Madness. The worldviews presented in the text are different from my own worldviews because. In the story, “ Constantine was the only one who had not broken off contact with she whom others now only called the madwoman (Diome).” From this we can see that their community wasn’t being welcoming or trying to help Toutina while she was struggling with her mental health issues. Instead they called her a madwoman and shined her from the community. This is very different from my lived experience. When someone has mental health issues and is clearly struggling with daily tasks and needs they aren’t shunned or treated badly. Instead, they get the help they need whether it’s pills, therapy, or treatment for their mental health issues.

The theme of identity was thoroughly explored in Ports of Madness. Identity appears in the form of Toutinas love for her husband. ”Toutina had suggested arrangements, a little time management maybe—for navigating life together, she said, was the greatest adventure of all. But, inflexible, the globetrotter had brusquely retorted: “Why do you want to change me, at my age? I’ve always been the way I am, and I’m not changing now. You’ll have to love me as I am. I want to stay free’” (Diome). She loved him so much that she would constantly change her identity into the places he would travel to distract her from the fact that her husband was always gone. She felt sad because he didn’t want a life where he would be with her all the time. Instead, he wanted to be free to adventure and travel by himself. Toutina didn’t want to be holding him so she accepted his dream to travel the world. After he declined her request it would be safe to assume that she would be mad but instead, she kept on loving him and I think that’s part of the reason people thought she was a madwoman.

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In One Thing by Edwidge Danticat, the experiences of Marie-Jeanne trying to be there for her husband and support him resonated with me deeply because she's trying to be there for her family and support them emotionally in their time of need. We can see throughout the story how even though she’s trying to stay strong, she becomes attached to memories of when her husband was healthy. I think the reason why her husband's sickness was such a shock to her is because she was only married to him for 16 weeks. So, his condition was a complete surprise to Marie Jeanne. As someone who’s had family in the hospital, I resonate a lot with Marie-Jeanne. My experience was different because I have a big family so I never had to struggle alone like Marie-Jeanne did.

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This image conveys Toutina’s unique personality because, she could be many different people at once.

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Learning outcomes

Analyse the concept of 'the self' in art.

Explore how artists convey identity, ideas and emotion in self-portraiture through a range of media and techniques.

Develop portrait analysis, visual literacy and critical thinking skills.

The self is a person's essential being, it is what distinguishes us from others - what makes us unique. It comes from lived experience and goes beyond appearances.

Examples of self-based concepts that we apply to ourselves could include our personality or thinking of ourselves as being extroverted or introverted. Other elements of such as and also feed into a perception of self.

When an artist makes a self-portrait, they are often thinking about their identity and their sense of self. They are reflecting on who they are and how to present this to the rest of the world.

How do you control your own image and how others see you - in selfies, for example, and on social media?

What clothes do you wear?

How do you style your hair?

What is your pose and expression?

Where do you choose to photograph yourself?

What objects or accessories do you surround yourself with?

Do you change and adapt your 'look' for different audiences and purposes?

First impressions

Look closely at these self-portraits. Look at each one for at least a minute. Notice:

the colours the artist has used

the pose (how she is holding her body) and expression on her face

their clothes

any objects

the composition Composition The arrangement of people or objects in a painting or photograph. .

What are your first impressions of the person in each portrait?

What is the overall mood of the self-portrait?

What do you think each artist is trying to say about themselves?

Is there anything else that strikes you about the portrait?

I refuse to be a prisoner of racism, sexism and the past ...

The healing power of art in voicing painful experiences is an important aspect of her art. She has described her paintings as expressing 'the triumph of the human spirit over suffering'.

What can we see in the portrait?

There appear to be multiple heads in the painting. These overlap and are clustered in the centre of the canvas but face in different directions.

Why do you think the artist has presented multiple heads in her self-portrait?

All the heads in the portrait represent Nicodemus. She shows herself from different angles and perspectives representing the different sides of herself.

How has Everlyn Nicodemus used colour, shape and texture to convey her different identities?

Although in places the heads overlap and seem to blend into each other, they have distinct faces and features. (Perhaps reflecting the distinct identities that combine to make her who she is.)

The other two heads have more realistic features, and their colour is more natural.

The surface of the painting is a rich mix of different textures and thicknesses of paint. Nicodemus experiments with different approaches to mark-making.

In some areas the rough texture of the canvas shows through. In other areas (such as the long neck at the bottom of the painting) she seems to have scratched zigzags and geometric shapes into the paint.

I was continually practising my every invention; till at length I could, with my mouth - thread a needle - tie a knot - do fancy work - cut out and make my own dresses.

Biffin was born without arms or legs, a condition now known as phocomelia. As a child, she taught herself to sew, write and paint by holding a brush between her teeth. She became an accomplished and successful artist, painting many famous people, including members of the royal family.

What do Sarah Biffin's clothes tell us about her?

Sarah Biffin is wearing a smart dress and an elaborate hat with a feather. These were the kind of fashionable clothes worn by well-off women in the early 1800s. However, these clothes would not be practical for painting.

We can also see a long necklace with a ring hanging from it - this is a wedding ring from her recent marriage.

She is presenting herself as a respectable woman, to the sort of people who could afford to have their portrait painted.

What can we see that tells us Sarah Biffin is an artist?

In this portrait Biffin has shown herself in the act of painting. She is dipping a paintbrush into a glass of water, to use with watercolour paints.

Which materials and techniques has Sarah Biffin used?

How has Sarah Biffin adapted her tools to suit her needs as a disabled artist?

Biffin's brush is tied to the top of her sleeve. This helped her technique of holding the brush between her shoulder and cheek or mouth.

Look closer at Gwen John

Gwen John (1876-1939) was a Welsh painter. She attended the Slade School of Art in London at a time when it was rare for women to train to be professional artists. Her classmates would have been mainly, if not all, men.

John was a young woman, aged about 24 years old, when she painted this strong, skilfully observed self-portrait. Her reputation has grown steadily since her death. Today, she is seen as one of the leading female artists of the twentieth century.

What do Gwen John's pose, gaze, and expression tell us about her?

Gwen John stands with her hands on hips, head held high with chin raised and back upright.

Her expression and pose make her look confident and possibly defiant, as if she is challenging us.

What is she wearing and how does her choice of outfit make her appear?

She is wearing a russet-coloured blouse with 'puffed' sleeves and lots of folds and pleats. It is gathered at the waist with a wide buckled belt. She isn't wearing any jewellery but has a large, dark bow at her neck.

The rich, shiny fabric of the blouse, along with the huge bow, puffed sleeves and wide belt seem to emphasise a sense of confidence.

The clothes also make her appear bigger - the sleeves of the blouse filling the space either side of her. Perhaps this is a form of power dressing - 'don't mess with me' she seems to be telling us.

How has she used the composition for maximum impact?

This is a three-quarter length portrait, and John's head and upper body fill the space. This enables us to see her facial expression clearly, as well as her choice of outfit and her body language.

She has painted herself against a plain background, which means there are no distractions - and our focus is on her.

The shape of her hand echoes the 'puff' of her sleeve, emphasising its shape.

What does her use of colours tell us about her?

The colours might also remind us of paintings - such as 's self-portraits. This perhaps suggests that Gwen John saw herself within a grand tradition of portrait painting and that she wanted to be seen as equal with these painters of the past.

The dark tone of the background contrasts with the lighter tones used to paint her blouse and skin, ensuring that she stands out.

What does her use of materials and techniques tell us?

Although she was only 24 years old, she shows off her ability as a painter in the way she uses paint and applies it to the different surfaces.

She used broad, loose brush strokes to paint her clothes and the background surface. (We can almost feel the rich, silky fabric of her blouse.) These are expertly contrasted with the delicate dabs of paint that she uses to model the lines and shadows of her face.

Exploring pose

Copy Gwen John's pose in this portrait. How does it make you feel?

Look in a full-length mirror and try out different poses and gazes. Think about how you feel as you change your position. Change your stance, the position of your hands and arms. Move your spine in different ways, from upright to slumped. What happens to your appearance?

Gwen John: a changing sense of self

Compare and contrast this self-portrait by Gwen John with another self-portrait, made two years later, in 1902.

Gwen John, by Gwen John, circa 1900

Gwen John, by Gwen John, 1902, © Tate

What are your first impressions about the mood of each portrait?

How are Gwen John's pose, gaze and clothing different, and how does this affect how we see her?

How has she used composition and colour to present a different image of herself?

What can we learn by comparing these two portraits?

The self-portrait from 1900 looks bold and flamboyant. The self-portrait from 1902 is quieter and more muted.

Her pose in the later portrait is less confrontational. She sits quietly with her shoulders sloping and her arms by her side. Her eyes don't look as if they are trying to hold our gaze Gaze The relationship of looking between sitter, artist and viewer. , and her expression looks more contemplative.

Gone too is the 'power-dressing' outfit from the earlier portrait. She wears a simple fitted checked blouse with a small, neat collar and a brooch at her neck.

Rather than filling the composition Composition The arrangement of people or objects in a painting or photograph. as she does in the portrait from 1900, she appears smaller with more background visible in the later portrait.

What was the status of women in the early 1900s?

When Gwen John painted these self-portraits in 1900, women were not allowed to vote in general elections, so they had little influence on laws or how society was governed.

Although many working-class women worked in factories or as domestic servants, the lives of most women revolved around caring for children, looking after their husbands, and carrying out domestic duties such as shopping, cooking and cleaning.

Middle-class women such as Gwen John, were expected to stay at home and manage the household. It was generally considered improper for middle-class women to work.

Why do you think she might have created such different representations of herself?

Gwen John was a skilled painter - a career almost exclusively reserved for men at that time.

She was determined to pursue her own path in art rather than follow the fashions of the time. It is perhaps this confidence and sense of pride that Gwen John shows in the self-portrait from 1900.

The 1902 self-portrait fits more closely with Gwen John's description of herself when she said that her: '... shyness and timidity distort the very meaning of my words in people's ears. That I think is one reason why I am such a waif.'

Though she may have been shy she seemed to know how significant her art was, and that the world would one day recognise this.

Think about the self-portraits you have looked at in this resource.

Have your first impressions of each sitter changed? Why?

In what ways have the artists told you more about themselves than simply 'what they look like'?

What challenges might these artists have faced as women living in different times? How might that have influenced their work?

If you were creating a self-portrait, how would you put across your identity using pose, expression, clothing, props and formal elements such as composition and colour?

What sort of mood or atmosphere would you want your self-portrait to have?

We saw how Everlyn Nicodemus and Gwen John presented different aspects of their identity through self-portraits. How might you represent the different aspects of who you are?

Next steps

Explore these self-portraits. Choose one that interests you.

What techniques and media has the artist used?

How is the portrait composed (arranged)? What does this achieve?

What is the mood or atmosphere of the portrait? How has the artist achieved this? (e.g., lighting, colour palette, expression, pose)

How has the artist used formal elements such as colour, line, shape, form, tone, texture and space to communicate ideas and meaning?

How has the artist used elements such as props, objects, clothing, background, pose or expression to communicate their sense of self in this portrait?

What do you, personally, think or feel about this portrait? Do you like it? Can you relate to it in any way?

Find out more about the artist and/or the time and place the portrait was made.

Does this change your ideas about the portrait?

How might this self-portrait, or other self-portraits you have seen in this resource, influence your own work?

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Analyse the concept of 'the self' in art. Explore how artists convey identity, ideas and emotion in self-portraiture through a range of media and techniques. Develop portrait analysis, visual literacy and critical thinking skills. The self is a person's essential being, it is what distinguishes us from others - what makes us unique.

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This image shows how as humans we have free will but, the actions of others force us into making decisions that we don’t want to. The reason we make these decisions is not because we don’t have a choice, rather it’s the opposite. We always have a choice but we’re afraid if the consequences that will happen. For example, when we’re adults we have the choice to work or not work. Most people choose to work even though they don’t like their job. They do this because they’re afraid of the ramifications that come with not having a job. Such as homelessness, poverty, and risk of harm and injury.

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This image shows how sometimes people can be struggling so badly but, they won’t show it for the sake of their loved ones. Marie-Jeanne did this for her family and husband because she didn’t want to burden them and cause her husband’s condition to worsen. I have given sacrifices for my family like my time, energy and money but I haven’t had to struggle on my own because of my family. If anything, my struggles and challenges come from outside my family and its family that helps me through them.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYq0h3KgDpY

I believe that in both Ports of Madness and One Thing both characters needed to do more Self Care. Marie-Jeanne wasn’t doing any Self care because she was so worried and stressed about her husband’s condition. So, she forgot about herself and if she would have made some time to meditate or any calming activity I’m sure some of the stress would’ve been relieved from her. Also, Toutina in Ports of Madness was so sad about her husband leaving her that she started spiraling out of control and switching into a new personality all the time. I’m sure she could’ve gotten a bit better had she taken time to ground herself and stop thinking about the man for once.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nirKw3mWB3I

This video emphasizes the importance of letting go of people, things and especially what you don’t have control over. I think that the theme of letting go was prominent in both Ports of Madness and Blood Child because, in ports of madness Toutina needed to let go of her attachment to her husband who clearly didn’t want or respect her enough to stay. In Blood Child the theme of letting go was important because Gan had to let go of his anger and accept his destiny while maintaining control over what he could.