1. Artifact Assignment LSJ 332 Fall 2007 M. Morris

2. Assignment Guidelines • Turn in 3 essays (Oct 25, Nov 15, and Dec 6) • Identify 1 artifact for each paper and address the following items: • Who produced the item and for what audience? • Where was it produced, where was it found? • What message about disability does it convey? • How does it fit into one (or more) of the models of disability?

3. What is an Artifact • Anything in society that portrays disability in some way • Examples: • Movies • TV shows • Articles • Books • Signs • Comics • Songs • Jokes

4. Example of an Artifact • Movie 300

5. About the Artifact • What is the artifact… • 300 • Who produced… • Frank Miller novel produced by Warner Brothers • Where is it found… • Any video store near you • Who is the audience… • General public

6. Movie Synopses • Spartans are born warriors • Infants are examined at birth and if they are found to be undesirable, then they are cast off a cliff • Children are taught from a young age to be physically fit and to fight

9. King Xerxes of the Persians comes and threatens King Leonidas and the Spartans • King Leonidas refuses to submit and seeks religious approval from the Ephors and the Oracle to go fight the Persians • They do not give a blessing but King Leonidas takes off w/ 300 of the finest men

11. King Leonidas and the soldiers march to meet the Persians and camp out at a cliff • A man who has a hunchback follows them and asks to join the army

13. Battle – bloody and gory • The Persians brought in “monsters” to fight • King Xerxes brings in the man who has a hunchback and coaxes him to give up the Spartans by offering him women, money and power • The man who has a hunchback gives up the Spartans and all 300 die

15. “300 white guys from a militarist eugenist sexist child-abusing society valiantly defend the narrow pass of Thermopylae against the progressive, racially, ethnically, ability and sexually diverse (albeit power-hungry) Persians in this gorgeously-filmed action-packed bloodfest.” • John on http://www.mindonfire.com/?p=568

16. Portrayal of people with disabilities • Eugenics • Ephors are viewed as greedy, dishonest, and perverse • Man with a hunchback is viewed as weak physically (can’t fight in battle) and weak morally (tempted by the enemy with women, money, and power) • His weakness is what led to the defeat of the Spartans • Any Persian with any physical difference is viewed as a monster that needs to be contained unless fighting against an enemy

17. Message of the Artifact • Message…? • Note: Think about who the potential audiences are ie: general public, teens, adults, persons with disabilities…

18. People w/ disabilities are • weak and do not have a place in society • unable to contribute constructively to society • morally corrupt • easily tempted by evil • can ruin a society

19. Application of Models • How does this fit into the models of disability discussed in class....? • Remember the models… • Social • Personal tragedy • Moral • Medical

20. Moral • Medical

21. About the Assignment • Two pages double spaced or one single spaced • Remember your grammar! • Place ALL of the required pieces into the essay

22. About the Assignment (cont) • Use at least 3 of the models discussed in class across your 3 essays • You do not need to use all of the models, just the ones that apply to your artifact • Think about the models in terms of the message(s) of the artifact • There are PLENTY of artifacts out there • You must choose 3 different mediums (movie, article, etc.) for your 3 essays

23. Grading Criteria • Grammar = 1 pt • Who produced/who was the audience = 2 pt • Where was it produced/found = 1 pt • What message is being conveyed about disability = 3 pt • How does it fit into one or more models of disability = 3 pt • Total = 10 pt