Reading Adichie’s story made me think more about how much storytelling affects the way we understand history. I liked the idea that history can look completely different depending on who is telling it. Grace learns that the stories she has been taught do not tell the whole story of her people, which made me think about how some perspectives can easily get left out. I also thought it was interesting how storytelling can keep a family or culture’s history alive, even when it is not written down. It made me realize that stories are not just entertainment but they can be a way of remembering where we come from and making sure those experiences are not forgotten.
Journal Entry #2
For this journal, I chose a picture of my friend and me in Spain. I’m in the picture, so I already know what was happening when it was taken and what the picture means to me. Because of that, I tried to look at it as if I didn’t know the story behind it and just focus on what I can actually see.
There are two people in the middle of the picture, both wearing red and navy fútbol jerseys with our names on the back. We are wearing jorts and carrying bags, and we are standing close together on a big city street at night. The buildings around us are very detailed and have statues, balconies, large windows, and lights all over them. The street is mostly empty, and the lighting makes the buildings stand out against the dark sky. I also noticed how much space the buildings take up compared to the people in the picture.
Since I know the picture, I automatically think about my trip to Spain, the world cup, and being with my friend. But someone who doesn't know us or the context of the picture wouldn't know any of that. They would probably create their own story about who we are or what we are doing. That was one of the things I found interesting about slow looking. I realized that I usually look at a picture and immediately think I know what is happening without actually paying attention to all of the details.
This made me realize that there is a difference between what we see and what we assume. Even though I know this picture really well because I was there, slowing down and looking at it objectively made me notice things I normally wouldn't. I think that's what stood out to me most about Herman's idea of slow looking.
The image itself doesn't tell me exactly who these people are or what they are doing. Herman’s technique reminded me that there is a difference between what I actually see and the story I create about what I see.