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Robert Cutillo

Second Assignment and Flash Fiction

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Edited by Robert Cutillo, Friday, 16 Mar 2018, 19:38

Yesterday, I received my first assignment back and I was very happy with the result. Although I didn't receive top marks, I was still proud of what I achieved (I hope this doesn't come across as too "braggy"; I don't mean it to be!). I'm going to get to working on it right away. Hopefully, I'll have it done for next week, as I want to be ahead of schedule and not be in a position where I'm rushing to get it done.

On a unrelated note, I submitted a piece of flash fiction I've been trying to get published to a website today. It's only about 800 words or so, and it's about an awkward kiss that occurs between two colleagues after their shift has ended. I'm not sure if it's that good a piece of writing, but I could always rewrite it if it keeps getting rejected.

I'm surprised flash fiction isn't more popular, actually. It's short and so can be read in no time at all. They're usually better written, too, as brevity important, so you don't get too many unnecessary words. But, unfortunately, I think some people just don't think they're worth their time. Let's hope that changes some day.

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Robert Cutillo

The Technical Stuff

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Edited by Robert Cutillo, Saturday, 3 Mar 2018, 15:38

I was planning on moving on to the next chapter in Reputations but instead decided to go back over some of the stuff on Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. 

First, I focused on some literary devices provided by my tutor from a tutorial a couple of weeks ago: alliteration, assonance, metaphors, similes, and personification. Then I moved on to how punctuation is used within poetry and what iambic pentameter is. I was already familiar with all of these terms but it was good to go over them again.

Next, I think I'll reread parts of the chapter on Cézanne, especially the definitions of techniques used by artists.

On a different note, I'm fed up with this weather; I would like to see the sun now please!

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Robert Cutillo

Cézanne

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Edited by Robert Cutillo, Saturday, 3 Mar 2018, 11:31

I've just finished reading the chapter on Paul Cézanne in Reputations. I found most of it interesting, especially the practical aspects of paintings and the brief history on still life. I always wondered why still life paintings were such a big deal and now I know. 

Take a painting of an apple. This could be an allegory for life: when we are ripe we're at our best and most beautiful but we eventually rot away and die. It could be a religious allusion to Adam and Eve. This mixes beautifully with the allegory of life and death: once Adam and Eve ate the apple and became aware of their nakedness, God ended their time in paradise and sent them into a world where they'd inevitably die. The apple representing life and death is also philosophical, with existentialism springing to mind.

I do appreciate Cézanne's work a little bit more than I did before. At first I didn't like it. I still prefer the 'conventional' paintings, though.

Next, I'll work through the online activities related to Cézanne's chapter and see how I get on. 

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