Title: Essay Meme
General Information about Item:
- Verbal and Material: Joke
- English
- USA
Informant Data:
- Emma Alter is a student in the class of 2020 at Dartmouth College. She is majoring in English modified with Philosophy with a minor in Spanish. Emma is originally from Chicago, and she began making memes last year. However, she has been viewing and sharing memes on Tumblr since she was in fifth grade
Contextual Data:
- Social Context:
- This meme and its information were collected during a one on one interview in a study room in Baker Berry Library at Dartmouth College. Emma described how she made the meme on her computer as well as how this meme has since been spread around Dartmouth’s student population by way of the meme page, text messages, and email. This meme was posted on the Dartmouth meme page and primarily circulated through Dartmouth students; however, it is not Dartmouth specific and students at other colleges would certainly be able to relate and understand the humor of the meme.
- Cultural Context:
- The cultural context of this meme reflects Dartmouth students’ tendency to procrastinate. Oftentimes, students will put off working on an assignment for as long as possible because they don’t have the desire to complete it. Moreover, this meme also incorporates images and text from a popular Netflix TV show called “Stranger Things.” Thus, people who have seen the show might find the meme even more enjoyable than those who have not. The lines in the show that are displayed in the meme are people calling out “Will?” because they are looking for a boy named Will. This meme has cleverly changed the use of the name Will, indicating that Dartmouth students can’t find their will to work.
Item:
Informant’s Comments:
- Emma said that this meme is particularly meaningful to her because oftentimes, no matter how hard she tries, she can’t work up the will to start on an assignment. She also notes that this tendency to procrastinate is common amongst Dartmouth students and that most people who go to Dartmouth can understand and relate to the meme on some level.
Collector’s Comments:
- I think this is a spot-on meme. I really enjoy how it incorporates lines from a popular TV, but takes them out of context and gives them a whole new meaning that Dartmouth students understand and can relate too. Moreover, I enjoy the cleverness behind this meme.
Collector’s Name: Bryce Killian
Tags/Keywords: Dartmouth. Meme. Hanlon. Hard Alcohol.