Papers to write and Books to Read
The title pretty much sums up what my last two weeks here are going to be like. I thought I had done good work throughout the quarter setting myself up for the end, but I just realized that the only thing that is in good shape is the research for my paper for the Louvre class. Check the title:
“Waiting for Wittgenstein: A Comparative Analysis of the Visual and Verbal Elements of Waiting”
And since I know you’re all dying for a description:
This presentation will analyze the motif of waiting in both visual and verbal art forms. The Dutch painter Quiringh Gerritsz van Brekelenkam’s painting La Bénédicité will serve as the visual while Samuel Beckett’s play En Attendant Godot will constitute the verbal element. The comparison will be drawn using the 20th century analytic philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s theory of language.
I have to present that tomorrow so I’m trying to finish up all my ideas, put them into slide show form, and create a handout (see above for excerpt) covered in philosophical jargon. I am truly my mother’s son.
After that I have some small papers to write (two French pages 2-3 pages in length), thank you letters for the program, a French final, and a 12-15 page paper on how the Pantheon speaks to the Gallo-Roman origins of Paris. Hey now! I think I might just pull a couple really late nights this week and knock everything but the Pantheon paper out. That way I can do “field research” (read: hang out in the Pantheon which is the coolest place and have lunch at this cool little crepe place next door) all next week.
I can’t believe it’s already December! Time has passed so quickly. I’m going to avoid using the past tense, however, because my time is not over yet! More adventures! More sights to see! And certainly, more crepes to eat!
(Note: Due to the gross amount of work I have to do, the blog on Florence will have to be postponed for a little while. Check back this weekend. But if you want a quick synopsis: Florence + Kelly Hill = fantastic!)
