JAC: A Journal of Composition Theory, Volume 24, Number 2, 2004 Page: 450
261-512 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 22 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
a senseless act of victimization. Zifek adds that this helpless gaze
"makes us all feel guilty" (211).
In response to this guilt caused by our own and the victim's sense of
helplessness, Zifek posits that we cultivate a false sense of compassion
for the victim (212). According to Zifek, this mode of responding to the
other's helplessness allows us to keep a safe distance from the other's
trouble (212). In this logic, we like to feel compassion for the other
because this makes us feel good about our selves (212). Furthermore,
Zifek insists that our fascination with the traumatic victimization of
the Other prevents us from acting to change the real conditions of
suffering (214). Now, some may say that Zifek is presenting a highly
cynical interpretation of the ways people respond to other people's
trauma; however, I want to use some of my students' comments and
discussions on the Web concerning the Holocaust to see if Zifek's
theories are actually accurate. I also want to suggest several pedagogi-
cal strategies that will help us to better understand and explore the
emotional reactions we have to traumatic events in and out of the
writing class.
Confronting Student Resistances
In order to incorporate critical media literacy into courses concerning
historical events like the Holocaust, I believe that we need to anticipate
and counter diverse forms of resistance to critical thinking, for whenever
I teach about the Holocaust and other representations of cultural trauma,
I always encounter at least four modes of emotional denial, which I have
labeled as: idealizing, universalizing, identifying, and assimilating. I
believe that these four forms of denial represent the most common
ways that students resist analyzing both popular culture and represen-
tations of history. In order to test this theory, I will discuss the way my
students and writers on the Web have responded to the film Life is
Beautiful.
One of the most interesting aspects of the response to this film is that
some people claim that it was the best film ever about the Holocaust,
while other people argue that the film has nothing to do with this historical
trauma. Instead of first giving my view on this topic, I will interpret my
students' written reactions as symptomatic of the ways that people in
postmodern culture respond to the Holocaust. My goal here is not to mock
or stereotype my students; rather, I aim to articulate a method to help
students to historicize and denaturalize their own emotional reactions in
a safe and controlled space.450
jac
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Association of Teachers of Advanced Composition (U.S.). JAC: A Journal of Composition Theory, Volume 24, Number 2, 2004, periodical, 2004; (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc28644/m1/196/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .