Extra Credit: Putting Quotes in Context

In this post, I will address two quotes, one from Taylor Swift and one from Chris Pratt, and put those quotes into context. I will address how the context of the quote affects the quote itself, as well as the celebrity's image.

Rinaldi, Eva, "Taylor Swift Speak Now Tour Hots Sydney, Australia 2012." 03/09/12 via Wikimedia Commons. Attribution-Share Alike License.

Taylor Swift

“I wrote an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal this summer that basically portrayed my views on this. I try to stay really open-minded about things, because I do think it's important to be a part of progress. But I think it's really still up for debate whether this is actual progress.”

1. Describe the context: This quote is taken from an interview conducted by Chris Willman from Yahoo! Music. Published on November 6, 2014, this interview addresses Taylor Swift's success with her album 1989, and it discusses Swift's war with free music streaming services. Willman asked Swift about her issues with the streaming services, and this question led to Swift discussing her op-ed piece that she wrote for the Wall Street Journal.
2. Explain how knowing the context shapes our understanding of the quote: Before I knew the context of the quote, I had no way of telling what this op-ed piece was about, and who wrote the piece. The context of the quote helps me understand where this debate about "actual progress" is coming from. Without context, this progress could mean anything, from scientific progress to political progress. Knowing the context helps me understand that Swift is referring to progress within the music industry as it relates to free music streaming services.
3. Analyze how the quote-in-context shapes your view of the celebrity who said it: I would have honestly never pinned Taylor Swift as someone who had written for the Wall Street Journal. When it comes to Swift, the media often focuses on her relationships and music, not her writing published in esteemed online newspapers. This quote helped me understand another side of her that is working to change and make a meaningful impact on the music industry through her outspoken distaste for public music streaming services.

Chris Pratt

“I do know what it feels like to eat emotionally, and…to be be sad and make yourself happy with food. And then to be almost immediately sad again and now ashamed and then to try to hide those feelings with more food. I know what that’s like. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s a very real thing.”

1. Describe the context: This quote is pulled from something Chris Pratt previously said about his uphill battle when he was training for Guardians of the Galaxy. The article, published on July 22, 2014, addresses body image issues that the media has focused on lately, and relates this to Pratt's struggles with the same issue.
2. Explain how knowing the context shapes our understanding of the quote: The context of the quote really gives me some foundation to base my assumptions off of. Before reading about the context, it was impossible to tell where this bit about emotional eating was coming from. It is a quote that could have come from anyone who had unhealthy eating habits. Knowing that this is something Pratt said helps me understand that this is coming from someone who really had to try hard to achieve the body image he wanted.
3. Analyze how the quote-in-context shapes your view of the celebrity who said it: While Chris Pratt is often in the media for his action movies, he is rarely portrayed as someone who once struggled to gain the image he now has. This quote, now that it's been put in context, helps me see a side of Pratt that is not often addressed by the media. It shows the contrast between how I usually see him (the star of huge action movies) and how this article portrays him (someone who struggled with body image issues).