Lessons/Activities
As noted earlier, the lessons embedded in this unit are spread over an entire school year. In many cases, the ekphrasis lesson is a smaller part of a lesson that the teacher would already be teaching. As a result, the assessments tend to be formative in nature, while the few summative assessments suggested here are deliberately limited in scope in order to keep a narrowed focus on the ekphrasis lesson.
Objectives: All of these activities hammer home the same point: Pictures and text have a relationship with one another. And to a certain degree, that relationship is confrontational as one tries to assert its authority and power over the other. Additionally, these lessons challenge the notion that pictures are the best mode of expression or communication. While pictures are "worth a thousand words," texts have the ability to reshape our thoughts and perceptions of pictures.
"The Shield of Achilles" – Homer
Purpose: Introduce the year–long unit on ekphrasis, which will focus primarily on the relationship of literature and art. Notional ekphrasis is introduced.
One of my core strategies in teaching is to dip constantly into the previous knowledge of my students, making sure that new ideas can be linked with the old and familiar. To do so for this lesson, write on the board the phrase "a picture is worth a 1000 words," a concept that most students should find familiar.
A brief class discussion about the phrase's meaning should take place – no more than a minute or so – and then have students write a few sentences or a paragraph (depending on teacher goals) about whether they agree with the idea and why. Afterward, students will share their thoughts with their neighbor(s) and then within the context of the whole class. As class discussion develops again, guiding questions could include: What does this say about words? About pictures? About the relationship between the two? Can you think of examples where pictures and words work together? Against each other? Questions such as these help to underscore the relationship of text and pictures, but also introduce the idea that the relationship is confrontational.
After the phrase has been discussed, introduce the concept of ekphrasis (there is another way to spell it: ecphrasis). Likely, no students will know the word; however, they might be able to work out the definition depending on what foreign language background they have. Regardless, after defining the word for students and literally writing down keys words of that definition ("description," for example), briefly brainstorm a few ideas of what pictures can do that text cannot (assuming this was not done in the previous activity). Do this too for texts. Because my students are used to me having them constantly write – it is a culture I build with them early in the school year – I would have the kids brainstorm and write short sentences or paragraphs in response to the aforementioned questions. Another option is for students to brainstorm in pairs or small groups, then after checking on answers by walking around the room during the activity, I would do a "whip around the room" so that everyone has the opportunity to participate. This also has the benefit of reinforcing a safe learning environment for students who generally are less participatory in nature since teachers will have checked answers prior to the final part of the activity.
After questions have been suitably answered, ask students to imagine that pictures and texts are living and breathing things, competing against one another to be the greatest mode of communication and, more specifically, superior art. How would pictures and literature feel about one another? The answer to this question opens the door to a complex aspect of ekphrasis: art and literature competing against one another and, on certain levels, holding disdain for one another. While this unit does not thoroughly cover this concept, one of the major aspects covered is that literature – while usually relegated to an inferior mode of communication in the popular view (recall the picture being worth a thousand words) – can manipulate pictures and, in many instances, holds authority over them. At any time during the lesson, the teacher should feel free to "reveal" the overall objective of the current lesson and the larger unit.
It is now time to introduce an ekphrastic work. Do so by remarking that Homer is generally recognized as the earliest user of ekphrasis, and that it is in his famed epic poem The Iliad that it is used. Acknowledge that Homer is, of course, not an American writer, but because his work lays the foundation for works to come, it is important to read him. The teacher should ask the class if it knows the story of the Trojan War, and allow students to explain it. Correct any inaccuracies or fill in any gaps where necessary. While it is not necessary to give more than a fleeting biography of Homer, discussing the legend of him being blind brings a new dimension to the assertiveness of words versus pictures.
Depending on the class, students may have already been given to read at home the chapter 18 excerpt from The Iliad. If not, read the excerpt in class, stopping to ensure understanding at appropriate places using typical forms of assessment. After ensuring that the students understand the shield has various scenes on it, break them up into seven groups: city one, city two, plowland, king's estate, vineyard, cattle and lions, and the dancing girls and boys. It is possible to combine the shorter scenes, such as the king's estate and plowland. Determining what scenes exist can be done in a variety of ways: teacher issued, during in–class reading, in small groups or pairs.
After students are broken into groups and assigned a scene, they should jot down in a list what is going on in each scene. Using the plowland as an example, students might write the following: broad rich plowland tilled for third time, plowmen going up and down the land, plowmen given drink of wine each time they end a strip, the plowland compared to solid gold.
When an appropriate amount of time to finish breaking down the scenes has been given, students will share what they learned with the entire class. This can be done in a variety of ways: brief presentation by the entire group, a single student can deliver the information, or as groups finish they write the information on a designated section of the board for the entire class to see. Depending on time, the last of these options generally is most effective. Regardless of the approach, the teacher will need to fill in any gaps, as well as share the description of the river making up the outer section of the shield.
Afterward, discuss with students what the text was able to do: the key concept being that Homer has described something so clearly that the reader can visualize or, if the reader wanted, can actually create a piece of artwork based on the author's words. This final discussion transitions into the next activity.
Either working at home or in small groups at school, students will create a diagram of where the images on the shield would be located. After a suitable amount of time is given, assuming this is done in school, the groups will come together as a whole class and, led by the teacher, draw the diagram on the board. If there is a capable student to lead, this is preferred. Regardless, there will be dispute among the students as to the location of certain elements. Upon finishing the class diagram, share with students the attached diagram.
Additionally, share some of the other versions of the "Shield of Achilles," the most notable one that of John Flaxman. After exploring the shields with the students, ask them their opinion on this topic as well as opinion questions such as what do they like, what do they not like, which one is their favorite, and so forth. Be sure to reinforce the lessons objective by asking the following simple question: What was the text able to do? The answer, of course, is Homer's text created the shield. It made something that was intangible become real. If it has not already been done, the teacher should introduce the difference between actual ekphrasis and notional ekphrasis.
The final lesson assignment related to Homer's piece involves students creating their own shield. This assignment can be done individually or in groups; however, it is suggested that the groups remain small.
Using any of the diagrams –group, class, or teacher handout—students will create their own "Shield of Achilles." While the student must fill each section with appropriate material (e.g., the section pertaining to war should be filled with content relating to war or violence), how students go about it is completely up to them. Original artwork, pictures taken from magazines, newspapers, the internet, and descriptive words or words associated with the section (names of people and places, dates, movies, books, etc.) are all acceptable. Teachers may choose to require students to use a mix of pictures and words, of course. Or, possibly, require that a minimum number of descriptive words, thematic words, pictures, etc. be used or that certain types not be used. Regardless, students will also be required to hand in a paper—length to be determined by teacher—describing the shield and, depending on time available in the course, to give a brief presentation of their shields. It is also suggested that the shields be displayed around the room, or possibly in one section of the room, to serve as visual reminders of notional ekphrasis.
"Cross of Snow" – Longfellow
Purpose: Introduce the concept that texts have the power to transform picture meanings. Actual ekphrasis is introduced.
"Psalm of Life" is usually used to introduce Longfellow to my students, as it nicely captures the most famous part of the transcendentalist spirit that the class will delve into during their studies of Emerson and Thoreau. As a result of introducing him so early, other works of Longfellow—including "Paul Revere's Ride" (1860) and this unit's "Cross of Snow" (1879) – are introduced to students much earlier than their chronological order would dictate. As a result, teachers might want to save this piece for use later on in the year, especially if they want to stick to a strict chronological presentation.
Regardless, in introducing "Cross of Snow", teachers should show William Henry Jackson's "Mountain of the Holy Cross" (1873), a photograph that assisted in inspiring Longfellow's writing the poem. Give students a good minute or two just to look at it. Instruct them not to talk, but direct them to take in the entire image. Do not directly lead them to the white cross embedded in the mountain. Likewise, do not share the name of the picture until after a student has mentioned the cross. After giving the students time to look at the photograph, have them describe what they see and include their personal reactions in a written form. As always, it is up to the teacher to determine the specification of the writing. Additionally, the teacher can split the writing into two questions: What do you see? What is your reaction to it? – and why?
After students share their thoughts and the painting is discussed, ask them how they think people would respond to it or, more specifically, the actual mountain if they saw it in the 1870s. What might influence a viewer's reaction? What if the viewer was Christian? Non–Christian? An atheist? Again, teachers have the option of having students commit their thoughts to writing or merely to discuss it. Of course, students can be paired to have this discussion together, afterward discussing it in the whole class context. It is important to stress to students late within the conversation that many people have viewed it reverently, as the name "Mountain of the Holy Cross" certainly suggests.
After students have adequately discussed and pondered Jackson's piece, introduce them to Longfellow's connection to it by relating the story of his beloved wife's death and his brother's journal entry about him writing the poem "Cross of Snow." Introduce Fanny's portrait, stressing that it was painted in the 1850s and hung in Longfellow's bedroom. Be certain to reinforce that this is an example of actual ekphrasis. Reiterate similar questions asked about the "Holy Cross" picture, but ask students to apply them to Longfellow while keeping in mind that Fanny's portrait hung in his bedroom at the time when he looked at the other picture. In light of his wife's death, how would he view the picture? Would it make him happy or sad? After students jot down notes on their thoughts, introduce Longfellow's poem, only telling them that it relates to his wife and the picture.
Because this unit is built for 11 th grade, most students will be familiar with rhyme scheme and a variety of poetic elements such as alliteration, metaphor, and so on. Regardless of student background, have the poem read aloud first. Afterward, students should pull from the poem the aforementioned poetic elements, marking the poem as each is discussed. An effective method I use for breaking down poetry is to project the poem onto a wipe board or chalk board. By doing this, teachers are able to model to students how to mark up texts as well as to create a more visually interesting environment. Unfortunately, if a teacher does this, then the ability to display the photograph is likely lost. Another effective method of breaking down poetry is to read only one or two lines at a time. Students then write down a few words next to each line to summarize it. This continues with the teacher using a question and answer strategy with students throughout the class until the poem's meaning is satisfactorily brought out. Following the line by line dissection of the poem, the meaning of the poem is further reinforced by having students write a summary paragraph.
After discussion of the poem, if it is not already evident to students, bring out how Longfellow's poem takes a photograph of a mountain that was viewed positively by many, and shifts it into something mournful. Relate this thought back to the initial concept, "a picture is worth a thousand words," but ask the question what happens to that picture when a thousand words are used to describe it. Again, this underscores the conflict between pictures and text. Which is the better mode of communication, and what happens with the two when they are in conflict?
To reinforce the concept of text having the ability to create meaning for pictures, students will be asked to do something similar to what Longfellow did. Using a variety of Ansel Adams pictures – which can either be displayed throughout the room in an art gallery setup or posted online using the various free webpage builders – students create either a work of prose or poetry. Be sure to share with students the significance of Adams and, if it is still timely during the teaching of this lesson, discuss with them the current controversy regarding the recently "discovered" negatives. The skill the teacher wishes to refine and the exposure students have previously had in poetry will determine the level of complexity of poem the student will write. If the students have already studied Wheatley or Bradstreet, this exercise can be used to reinforce a variety of poetic forms and devices. If the students are not yet ready to create their own original poetry, then a piece of prose – preferably one that connects on a personal level as Longfellow's poem does for him – would be the assignment. As with previous assignments, teachers may choose to display student work as well as have students orally present their efforts.
The Scarlet Letter: The Physical "A" – Hawthorne
Purpose: As with the previous lessons, this one further reinforces the relationship between pictures and text. Additionally, it underscores the power that text can have over pictures. In the case of the scarlet letter A, text mitigates the power of centuries' worth of symbol and definition. Notional ekphrasis is reintroduced.
To begin the lesson, jot down the letters A–Z on the board. Remind the students of elementary school– A is for apple, B is for ball, and so forth. Instruct students to write down their own words for each letter, but with the rule that the words cannot be boring (such as the examples given. Feel free to model one or two "good" words if necessary). Only give a few minutes for this assignment. After they have a list, students should write their words on the board for each letter until the entire alphabet is finished. Afterward, there is sure to be some joking and laughter about some rather strangely chosen words; this works well since the good humor is going to juxtapose with the seriousness of the words related to puritanical justice.
Before introducing the Puritans, however, ask the students what the purpose of this type of exercise is in elementary school. The obvious answer is to help to model and memorize letters and sounds, which assists in learning. After the brief discussion, erase the board and write the letters B F H M R T. Students are now given specific instructions to think of more words for these letters, with one caveat however: the words must be associated with a crime. Teachers might want to remove the letter R, however, so as to avoid students writing the word "rape" on the board; or, the teacher might use the letter R as an example, writing Rogue next to it. The letters stand for the following: Burglary Forgery, Hog Stealer, Manslaughter, Rogue, and Thief.
After students write their words down (not on the board, however), it is a good time to discuss with students how the Puritans punished individuals for crimes committed by means of branding. The more theatrical the description the better, as experience has shown that lingering on details – that is, describing the hiss the branding makes, the smell of burning flesh and so forth – is exceptionally effective in grabbing and keeping student attention. It goes without saying that students should first be given the opportunity to share their knowledge, and the teacher can build on those thoughts, livening them up with additional details where necessary. During discussion of branding, prompt students for different words. An example might be: the teacher describing someone stealing something, getting caught, and being branded: With which letter would the person be marked? A man has taken another's life, but accidently. He still must be reminded of this crime against God's law every day – let's brand him with a what? And so on. At this time the students might get a bit rowdy, as some will blurt out questions about the branding and different types of crimes. When the discussion is finished, erase the board that is by now filled with a list of the various crimes, and – with perhaps a bit of flair – write a gigantic letter A on the board: What about this one? After appropriate responses are given, segue into an explanation of the "Custom House." Preparation for this will be for the teacher to create a real scarlet letter – something made from plain cloth which can be purchased from any hobby or craft store. Again, theatrics are necessary.
While explaining the Custom House, move about the room as the narrator does. Perhaps turning off lights and using a flashlight to search the class. Upon reaching the part of finding the scarlet letter, reveal it to the students – preferably pulling it from a desk, a drawer, off a table, or whatever is suitable. Explain how the letter used to be beautiful, how if a person looks close enough – hold it out to the students and watch their necks crane – one can see golden thread. If the students are into this moment, ask one of them: Can you see the thread? Of course, it is up to the teacher's discretion to actually use some golden thread.
At the fateful moment of describing the letter being hot, the teacher holds it to his or her chest and then flings it away, preferably towards a student desk. Generally, the students flinch away or recoil if the A lands on their desks. As before, ask them directly about the A – is it hot? They will answer no, of course (unless a sly teacher has found some way to keep it warm), so the teacher should claim that it was hot for just a moment.
The theatrics are up to individual teachers, of course. Even a poorly done acting job creates wonderful engagement, laughter, and – importantly – moments to reference over and over again while teaching The Scarlet Letter, since undoubtedly students will remember the visual of a teacher being repulsed by the A.
After the teacher picks up the A from wherever it might have fallen, ask what it might have been used for. Many will say adultery and eventually (and likely immediately) students will rightly say that it is sewn onto the clothing of an offender. Feel free to connect this form of marking to how people historically marked other individuals; the Nazis' use of the Star of David being the easiest connection. Stress to students that this was real, that people truly did this to one another. Feel free to bring up Hawthorne's journal entries, remarking that he had determined to write a story about it. Also, ask them what this type of writing would be considered since it is based on a piece of art – in this case, tailoring. Ekphrasis, of course, is the answer.
While students would likely be told to keep track of how the scarlet letter changes meaning throughout the book anyway, this is particularly important for the ekphrasis unit. At the end of the novel, or while going over the section in which the letter changes meaning (the meaning changing from Adultery to Abel, or Angel, or Amor/Arthur), discuss what Hawthorne's text was able to do to the art. Connect back to the power of Longfellow's poem to change something "holy" into something painful. Appropriately, Hawthorne does the exact opposite in that he transforms something painful into something good, if not necessarily holy. The lesson learned then is no different than before, but serves as a strong reinforcement: The text has the ability to reinterpret art, to change art, to manipulate art. The picture, however, is silent and powerless before the text's interpretation.
The Scarlet Letter: Gravestone – Hawthorne
Purpose: This lesson reinforces the above lesson's purpose, but instead uses a gravestone as its piece of art. Like the literal scarlet letter, Pain's marker is transformed from a mark of shame. "Emblem" as an ekphrastic term is introduced and actual ekphrasis is reintroduced.
Prior to reading the text and prior to the A lesson, show students Elizabeth Pain's grave marker. Give students a few minutes to examine it and to jot down notes about what they see. Instruct students to hold on to their notes as they will be used at the end of the unit. Do not have them share with the class.
After finishing the novel, put the image back up for the students to view. Ask them to reread what they wrote preivously. Did they want to add anything to their notes on the gravestone in light of reading the book? Have students share their ideas and thoughts about the gravestone. After the discussion, share with students the history of Elizabeth Pain and, if none have noticed, point out the A.
What does the story do to the gravestone? What does that show about the text? How did the text manipulate this piece of art? During the conversation be sure to tease out from the students that they are once again visiting ekphrasis and that this type of ekphrasis is known as emblems.
The Scarlet Letter: Hugues Merle's Painting – Hawthorne
Purpose: This not only reinforces the concept of ekphrasis with students, but is a (limited) review of the novel.
As a final project tying ekphrasis and The Scarlet Letter together, students will first be exposed the Hugues Merle painting titled "The Scarlet Letter" done in 1861.
After being given some time to examine the painting, students will be asked to point out different features of it – perhaps they will note the two characters in the background who are likely Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, or maybe they will note Pearl touching the scarlet letter as she does so frequently in the novel; the astute student might even bring out how Hester herself is in the shape of the letter A. During the conversation, share with the students that this was Hawthorne's favorite visual depiction of his novel (feel free to tell students that he only saw a photograph of it, and not the actual painting). What do you think he liked about it? Why would this be his favorite? The teacher might simply share the aforementioned information prior to asking students to examine the picture, thus combining the two steps.
Since this painting was created after the Hawthorne piece, the issue involved is not specifically ekphrastic. Regardless, students will be asked to do something similar in that they are assigned to choose a painting/picture/sculpture not directly connected to Hawthorne's novel, but that they feel connects to it in one way or another. A writing assignment related to the choice, explaining how the piece of art connects should also be assigned. Generally, a multi–paragraph piece not exceeding a page works well. Afterward, and depending on time, students should share their artifacts.
Moby Dick: Spouter–Inn Painting – Melville
Purpose: In both lessons, the concept that reality is conditioned by perception is learned. This continues to underscore the power that text can have over pictures. Notional ekphrasis is reintroduced.
Ask students to recall the shield of Achilles activity, specifically that they built their shield based on Homer's description. As with the Homer lesson, have students break down the "Spouter–Inn" painting from Melville's Moby Dick in pairs or small groups, diagramming what Ishmael sees. The painting is notional ekphrasis.
Afterward, discuss with students why it was difficult for Ishmael to make out the painting – it is dark and dirty, he is tired and in an unfamiliar place, and so on. Continue the conversation: Is Ishmael seeing the actual painting, or is something else going on? Perhaps he is projecting his own experiences or fears onto the painting? If that is the case, what does this say about art – or at least certain types of art?
Display to students one or two optical illusions – the Rubin vase or Hill's rendition of the 1888 young girl–old woman picture. Have students write down what they see, and then discuss with the class what they saw. Sometimes, when it comes to art – or other things in the world – we see what we want to see, or what we are trained to see. A set of videos that further punctuate this point are the Simons and Chabris selective awareness tests, which revolve around a group of basketball players and a gorilla.
After the students are comfortable with this idea – perhaps they give their own examples – introduce the Rorschach test. Many students will be familiar with the word at the very least, because of the character of the same name in the movie The Watchmen. Share sample images of the Rorschach test, which can be found on Wikipedia or with a basic web search, and have students jot down what they see or how they feel when they see the pictures. Be sure to model one together with the entire class. For example, I might show an ink spot image that looks like two people embracing to me. I will explain to the students that this is the strongest image that comes to my mind, and it possibly might have to do with my upcoming marriage. Thus, my personal life influenced what I saw.
After sharing an appropriate number of images – perhaps half a dozen or less – discuss the images with the students, and share with them the most common pictures people see when shown the test. Ask students what they think the value of the test might be – does it show a person's personality or is it quack science? What type of traits might the test show in a person: e.g., what does it say about a person who sees many violent images during the test? Perhaps that person is depressed or pondering suicide. Do not collect what students wrote or force anyone to share since this is somewhat personal.
The concept of how reality is shaped by perception is, of course, not limited to artwork. In fact, this lends itself well to introducing the concept of an untrustworthy narrator if students have not been introduced to it yet.
Moby Dick: The Doubloon – Melville
Purpose: The concept of reality based on perception is reinforced.
Share with students the doubloon graphic, which was taken from Wikipedia. Remark to them that critics have compared Melville's description of it to that of Achilles' shield. The coin is actual ekphrasis.
Ask the students why the two would be compared (the circle, it is gold, there are distinct separations on the coin, the lettering circles the edge like the river). Students can do their comparisons in pairs or small groups, possibly using a Venn diagram or one of its variations. Afterward, put a similar chart on the board and fill it in with student responses.
Remind students that each character saw something different when they looked at the coin. Why would characters see different things in the coin? Feel free to connect to the Rorschach test and the concept of reality shaped by perception. Afterward, break into groups and assign one character to each group. Students are to describe the character based on the description of the coin given. For example, Ahab's description focuses on himself, which is apt in that his actions to destroy the whale are altogether selfish, as they do not take into account his crew's well–being – financial or otherwise.
A successful method of reporting this information is for the students to write the descriptions on a large piece of paper to be later hung about the room for discussion. While the large sheets can be used only for this lesson, they also lend themselves to be continuously added to for the rest of the novel or to be recalled at the end of the novel for the purpose of review. Regardless, as each group reports its information, characters can be naturally compared to one another to encourage deeper thought about the novel.
While it is not necessary, a project to cap off the lesson could require students to examine currency of the United States and possibly beyond. Students would look at images of money, regardless of its origins, and write down thoughts and reactions to it. Afterward, they can do minor research on their money, comparing their response to the concrete explanation of the art. If time lends itself, students could briefly present their currency to the classroom. This type of assignment lends itself well to teaming up with foreign language classes.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Emmeline's Pictures – Twain
Purpose: In ways comparable to what was learned in the other lessons, Twain is able to twist the meaning of something with his words. Like Hawthorne, he is transforming something perceived by us as morbid into the exact opposite.
In discussing Stephen Dowling Bots from chapter 17, be sure to stress that it is satirizing Victorian death poetry. Generally I initially build the poem up to be one of America's most famous and best written pieces. Inevitably, when I ask students to tell me why the poem is so moving and so famous, a student remark that it "sucks" and, with that one hole in the dike, it usually breaks quickly and my class beats down the piece to its deserved place. Indeed, they see through my joke quite quickly and ruthlessly assault poor Mr. Bots.
After we discuss how "Bots" is a satire of Victorian death poetry and sentimentality, I direct the kids' focus to the pictures described in the chapter. Almost immediately they understand that these pieces, too, satirize the morbid sentimentality of the era. Although the pictures described by Twain are based on real pieces, there are no specific ones known; therefore, this would fall into the category of notional ekphrasis. During discussion, ask questions – Why is it humorous? Why is the bird painting particularly funny? How does the text for each picture add to the ridiculousness of them all?
After the class has had a good chuckle with the pictures, share with them various mourning pictures and portraits, which are easily found on the internet. Upon seeing the pictures, the students likely will not laugh – especially if the teacher chooses to share the photographed mourning portraits. Have them write down their feelings, their reactions. After students get an opportunity to express their reactions to the pictures, narrow the discussion: What was Twain able to do with something so morbid? The conversation needs to be steered in the direction that regardless of the picture, text can manipulate it. In this case, Twain was able to make disturbing pictures of death humorous.
The Great Gatsby: Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg – Fitzgerald
Purpose: Final review of ekphrasis.
If The Great Gatsby is used as an end of the year novel, then an excellent example of ekphrasis is the eyes of T.J. Eckleberg. Here a teacher can discuss how Fitzgerald's words not only describe an advertisement for an eye doctor as being ominous in nature, but also turn it into the eyes of God.
Keeping a connection to Eckleberg, students will create a piece of advertising. This will serve as a final review of ekphrasis and the concepts associated with it. The specific assignment will be to create their own piece of advertising for an item that would be considered useless in our society. More than anything else, this demonstrates how text has the power to manipulate the meaning – or the value – of something. An alternative approach would be for students to create a piece of advertising for a product, but not to focus on its true selling point.
In addition to stressing the unit's objective with this project, teachers might choose to enhance it substantially by requiring students to utilize a variety of other skills taught throughout the school year. For example, if persuasion is a major skill taught to the students this particular year, then perhaps there would be an additional requirement of using all of Aristotle's Appeals.
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