Jonathan Chitty

TAMUC ENG 1302.01W Research Blog

[jchittytamuc]

1302 Progress Blog #10

This hasn’t been the best week for me. I lost my job and have been dealing with life’s ups and downs, but it gave me a little more time to work on my ethnography. At the beginning of the semester, I was really nervous about this class. The task of writing an ethnography, using Tumblr, researching literacy and not the actual subject of fandom-matter we chose, and keeping track of all of our details seemed daunting, to say the least. However, i am surprised that this assignment was actually interesting and wasn't as horrible as I had foreshadowed. Wrapping up this assignment took some time, but I was lucky to get 23 replies to my survey! i was really worried about that and having subject matter to work with. Overall, this was a great class and Mrs. Phifer is an awesome professor. It is refreshing to get an instructor who realized that life happens. I am so happy that I took this class and had such a great instructor. It totally makes going back to school at 27 worth it! I just hope there is a silver lining and that I can get my degree finished and move on with my life quickly. This class was a great lesson and opportunity and I’m so lucky to have gained the knowledge that i did in such a fun atmosphere. I love Roseanne! 

[jchittytamuc]

1302 Progress Blog #9

Conducting my survey was actually a very easy task. I was worried that I wouldn’t get enough participation to write about. I ended up getting 23 replies to my survey. I had a lot of feedback within my community and had system administrators post the survey on the pages that they monitored. I didn’t think that I would actually have anyone post or reply to the survey, so having twenty three was a great shock! I chose to go with the alternative final option for this class, but regret not finishing my ethnography in its entirety. This has been a very rewarding class. 

[jchittytamuc]

1302 Progress Blog #8

Conducting ethical research is of utmost importance.  When contemplating how to ethically research the Roseanne show, I immediately thought of the text and how at first, it didn’t seem logical. The more I read, the more I understood what it was guiding me to accomplish. Although, there aren’t really any legal implications or identities to protect, I still must gather my research ethically. I will protect the interest of the individuals and examine activities and projects with ethical soundness – protecting the information from being tarnished with my own opinions/personal views. I will look at all options, viewpoints, etc and decipher which are factual and can be supported. I will take into account the people involved and conduct ethical research that will lay the groundwork for my ethnography.

[jchittytamuc]

1302 Progress Blog #7

I am doing my ethnography over Roseanne the TV sitcom. Most of my research is conducted on Tumblr and Pinterest. The use of google when looking for specifics is also very helpful. While conducting my research, I meddle through a vast array of fan art. This includes photographic images, pieces of fan art, manipulated photos or graphics, screenshots of fan video or fan mixes, or other fan-created visual art. Fans of Roseanne express and evoke many emotions through creative works completed and shared throughout the internet. However, I do like reading fan fiction, this form of visual communication is my personal favorite. The pictures that I find represent the characters in a way that one can truly grasp a better understanding of who they are. Ultimately, these photos give a glimpse of the different personas and characteristics that define each of the characters and make them relatable and lovable by fans. By utilizing this form of literacy, you can get a better understanding of the communication of appreciation, understanding thoughts and opinions expressed within this show and by the fandom in which it is represented by. Photos are a great, easy way to put essence into the world without having to say a word.

[jchittytamuc]

Every matriarch needs her patriarch. As portrayed, Roseanne had her world completed in Dan. From their matching plaid button ups to their unbreakable smiles, this duo won fans over from season one, episode one. The love and devotion that they showed each other was colossal. Even though they endured trying times, they always stomached the bad and celebrated the good side by side. It was often hard for viewers to believe that Dan and Roseanne weren’t a real couple. They played off of each other with so much ease and appeal. The actors have even been quoted on the relationship built and maintained while working together. As the sub-head of household, Dan always provided for his family. He often showed a sign of withdrawal to Roseanne, but had occasions where he stood his ground and fathered in his own way. Much to his surprise the scenario was often an elaborate scheme set up by Roseanne to begin with. This caricature captures the true essence of the loving, playful relationship that Dan and Roseanne shared over the course of the sitcom.

[bdmercyme-deactivated20160411]

“714 Delaware St. Pt. 3” aka “Pizza Graveyard”

Watercolor and Micron Pen

4.5x5.5”

Brian Deuel

[jchittytamuc]

The kitchen is the heart of any home and that was true for the Connors. Much of the show’s action (especially in the early years) took place right here. This artist very accurately represents the essence of the set with their depiction of the smallest of details. From the wooden napkin holder to the corn hanging over the iconic wallpaper that lined the walls. Every detail makes this rendering instantly recognizable. This photo evokes many feelings of nostalgia and brings fans back to a time and place where Roseanne was a part of their daily lives. For many fans, this statement is still accurate. From the buttons on the chairs to the white malfunctioning coffee pot that was a daily staple in the Connor household, this watercolor is a rush of emotion and comfort on paper.

[dylanstoepel-blog]

Becky Barr

[hellyeahclassicroseanne]

*Conner (amazing art!)

[jchittytamuc]

This rendering of Roseanne’s eldest daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Connor almost portrays her as a sad, bleak outcast. This is a different view of the character than we usually see. Becky has been unaware of her motivations in life for many years, but being Roseanne’s daughter, she is mostly fueled by rebellion against her mother. Here we see her in a moment of self-consideration and uncharacteristic pause.  Early on in the shows run, she was a well-rounded, A+ younger teen and quickly became a troubled, ungrateful, outspoken problem child. She almost always put off the essence that she was better than her family and was definitely born into the wrong family. This didn’t sit well with fans and she ultimately got a bad rap. She was always the highest strung of the family – other than Roseanne. Becky was the average teenager dealing with the normal daily drama between home and school. Her character ultimately eloped to “not be a burden on her family any longer.” She definitely thought she had it all figured out, but soon realized that things were much different than she ever expected. Married life was hard and the struggle that she endured was existent. Ultimately, she confronted all of her challenges later in the series with a smile. This could be characterized as an ongoing rebellious act to continue to prove to her mother that the decisions that she made in life weren’t the erroneous.

[nahkneeahh]

Darlene Ink Sketch. 

[jchittytamuc]

Darlene was Roseanne’s youngest daughter and middle child. She started the sitcom off as a young, tomboy focused on sports and watching the next game on TV with her father. This character quickly transformed into a dark, often misunderstood, outspoken personality entwined with creativity and activism rightly bestowed on her by her mother. Being the middle child, Darlene often got shafted in terms of chores and suffered the consequences of bad decisions made by her older sister, Becky. This photo captures two key aspects of Darlene’s personality, her Darkness and Creativity. Throughout the series, we see Darlene’s struggle with rebellion, adolescent depression and finding an outlet for her creativity often through writing and poetry. Darlene, like her mother was a realist and fans fell in love with her quick comebacks and “I don’t give a damn” attitude. This could essentially be thought of as a self-portrait of Darlene reflecting on what was going on and had become of her life.

[loveyinz-blog]

#mollyspearpageaday #roseanne and #jackie.

[jchittytamuc]

Another fan favorite is the loveable Aunt Jackie. As depicted in this fan art, Roseanne is once again coming to Jackie’s aid. Jackie always finds herself in trouble with men and Roseanne takes it upon herself to decipher what Jackie’s next move should be. Usually, this is unwarranted advice that typically leads to a spat between the two sisters. In this case, Jackie had been physically abused by her boyfriend. Roseanne had confronted Jackie about not coming around as much and Jackie had shrugged it off and chopped it up to spending time with her boyfriend, Booker. As Jackie goes upstairs to freshen up, Darlene, Roseanne’s daughter walks in on her changing and notices bruises on her aunt’s back. She confronts Roseanne and that’s when Roseanne steps in to save the day. After a series of questions, they decide that Pizza and a trip to the emergency room are in order. There is so much symbolism of the show portrayed in this artist’s work. This depicts Roseanne as the protective, comforting big sister that resolves all of her current problems with a snack. ice 

[itsmandyyybitch]

[jchittytamuc]

Roseanne’s character was known to be a little crass. Okay, “a little” may be an understatement. In this collage of fan art, viewers can get the essence of Roseanne. There were many faces of Roseanne, but she was quite figuratively a dose of bitch served with a smile. Her persona literally evoked every quality crafted in this photograph. Roseanne was a sarcastic, in your face, uninterrupted mother of three. She spit a quick wit and sported an “I don’t give a damn” attitude. Her fun-loving character always kept people on the edge of their seat. Roseanne’s success was undoubtedly hinged directly on the “Queen” and her ability to serve you with a dose of the hard, sassy truth.  As you can tell from the collage, this fan seems to portray all of these attributes as a progressive representation of who Roseanne was and what she stood for. The expression of this fiercely independent attitude attracted thousands of viewers, people that felt frustrated by their own ineffectuality and trapped by their circumstances. Roseanne was a unifying voice of rebellion against social norms.

[patron-saint-of-the-denial]

Al Hirschfeld’s Roseanne caricature

[jchittytamuc]

Roseanne was more than just a “domestic goddess,” as she coined herself. Roseanne was an activist, a radical, and above all, a hard-working mother that loved her family and knew what to say and do to get them to do what she desired. This black and white caricature of Roseanne by Al Hirschfeld depicts the essential spirit of the loveable matriarch of the Connor family. Roseanne is a loud, zealous, and sometimes manipulative character. This attitude of “I am woman, hear me roar” seemed to resonate well with audiences. As seen in the picture, Roseanne is donning one of her famous flannel shirts and is surrounded by one of her true loves - snacks. She has her coffee handy in her right hand and the saucer in her left hand, ready for her sister, “Aunt Jackie” to stop by and dish the day’s gossip before they head off to work at Wellman Plastic factory. The image touches upon Roseanne’s ups and downs with food and weight, but the overall focus is her smile and, by extension, the humor with which she met all issues and hardships in life. 

[jchittytamuc]

I'm doing research on literacy used in the fandom of Roseanne (the TV series). It's just a quick survey. Please feel free to offer any feedback! Thanks so much for your time!! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8KJSZWK

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[patron-saint-of-the-denial]

Al Hirschfeld’s Roseanne caricature

[fuckingyeahvintagetvseries]

[the-saint-baby]

ROSEANNE ONE-SHOT.

“The kids are asleep…” a voice calls to me from the living room. I can hear the lightswitches flick to the off position as he slowly walks through his house, his domain and extinguishes the light. The door to the bedroom stands open, allowing the soft glow of the hall light to emit a brightness, cast over the otherwise dark room. I am waiting for him to come to me so that we can show each other how much we’d missed each other over the course of the day. Our bodies connecting in this way allows us to articulate how much our love means to one another without words. I’m on the bed, wearing just a nightshirt. The last light on in the house is illuminating my shape softly and I consider calling out to him, urging him to rush to the bedroom. Finally, I hear the familiar creak of the floor shifting under his weight. He is a giant man and he is all mine. The light that streams in from the hallway is interrupted by his shape. Given the angle of the light, I cannot see his face, but my body knows it’s him. He is holding something in his hands, bringing me an offering of our love. “I love that chicken night shirt on you, Roseanne…” Dan says, his voice husky with want. “But it would look better…” He approaches me slowly, holding out what has been occupying his hands. “With some Oreo crumbs on it.” I grab the Oreos, an obvious aphrodisiac for us, and prepare my body for the coming rapture.

[hulnix-deactivated20180209]

I JUST started this roseanne painting.

[englishpansexualfangirl]

The sad story of Roseanne and Dan Conner.

I cry so much when I rewatch Roseanne episodes (which is pretty much every day). It is when Roseanne and Dan are being a cute couple (most episodes) or when they are planning what they will do when the children leave home. It breaks my heart because they never do that due to his death. It is so sad. I Wish they were together forever. My eyes are filling up with tears just by writing this. I cry at everything!