”WWNW“WNW”(NIHM WM. \ l iéé WI THESIS Mom This is to certify that the thesis entitled Keeper of the Snakes presented by Michael S. Hormuth has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Arts degree in Telecommunication 1/: L Major professor Date 5/31” L 0-7639 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution LIBRARY Michigan State University PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record. TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due. MAY BE RECALLED with earlier due date if requested. DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE 2 [)4 mm) 0%” 6/01 c:/CIRC/DateDua.p65-p. 15 KEEPER OF THE SNAKES By Michael S. Hormuth A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Telecommunication 2002 ABSTRACT KEEPER OF THE SNAKES By Michael S. Hormuth Learning about my family’s history and the way that my parents were raised has given me insight into why I was raised a certain way, and why I have the values that I do. In this personal documentary, interviews with my relatives provide answers to the question “How did I become the person that I am?” In Memory of the Keepers of the Snakes Michael Hormuth, Rudolf P. Hormuth, and Peter A. Hormuth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Robert Albers for creative consultation, Scott Seward for technical assistance, and Barbara Hormuth for her support. VI. VII. VIII. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Background A. Historical Background B. Personal Background Method A. The Documentary B. Personal Documentary C. Interview Questions Program Description Evaluation and Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B References 10 23 27 32 Introduction Who am | and how did I become the person I am? How do | see myself and my place in this world? In midlife, people are supposed to take a good hard look at themselves, and hopefully attain a better understanding of who they are. (Cavanaugh, 1992, p. 272) In this project, I investigated my family's past in order to gain insight about the development of my character. My identity has been shaped by many experiences, some of which were passed down to me by my parents and their families. Even my name was passed down to me. I am named Michael Stephen Hormuth, after my father's father, Michael Hormuth, and my mother’s father, Stephen Pisklak. Who were my namesakes and what effects did they have on my life? Although they are deceased, I believe there is still part of them alive in me. Their heritage, customs, ethics, values, and stories were passed down to me as l was growing up. Those that I embraced became a part of me. I am the keeper of the snakes. There are two snakes, each preserved in a corked bottle, which were handed down to me from my father’s father. The story I heard when I was a child was that my grandfather caught these poisonous snakes in the jungles of South America. I asked my father about the snakes when I was an adult, and the story he told me then was different than when I heard it as a young boy. The snakes were a catalyst, which started a conversation with my father that I would not have had otherwise. I wanted to believe that my grandfather was a great hunter who traveled the world. It turned out that my grandfather was never in South America and did not catch the snakes. A family friend was the person who actually caught the snakes. When my father told me his story, I learned about things I did not ask, things about his family history, coming to America from Germany, and his life as an immigrant child growing up in New York. He told me about what his parents were like, and what things affected his life when he was growing up. After my grandfather died, the snakes held memories of him. When I went away to college, my younger brother, Pete, became the keeper of the snakes. Pete treasured and safeguarded the snakes and in doing so, kept the stories alive. When Pete died, the snakes came back to me and I again became the keeper. With the recent death of my father, these two bottles now represent memories of my grandfather, father, and brother. I did not start to collect the stories about my father’s Side of the family until it was too late. Now, their stories are lost. My mother’s side of the family iS also rich in heritage, adventures, and stories. My mother and her siblings are still here to tell me their family history. These are the stories of their father, Stephen Pisklak. emigrating from Slovakia to America, and what is was like for them growing up in Brooklyn, New York. I have begun to understand more about who my relatives are, and more about who I am. Background Historical Background During the late 1800s and early 19003, millions of immigrants passed through Ellis Island seeking a better life for themselves and their families. My father and his family emigrated from Germany, my mother's father emigrated from Slovakia, and my mother's mother was born in the United States of Slovakian parents. There were common experiences within the two families and similarities in the way the children were raised. Both families came to America because they sought a better life. Both raised their children in Brooklyn, New York. Both struggled with Ieaming a new language and new customs. How did these experiences affect me? Personal Background There are customs I observe, and traditional family meals I prepare. I have certain values and ethics that are rooted in my family background. What makes me carry on these traditions and place an importance on those values? It is easy to understand where some traditions, such as preparing certain foods on certain holidays, came from. For example, my family prepares a sauerkraut juice and mushroom soup that is made only on Christmas Eve because this meal was a traditionally meatless meal. It is not as easy to understand where my values came from. Why do I feel that hard work and careful money management are important? Where did I get my sense that loyalty, charity and honesty are important? Why is education important? In order to answer these questions, I looked at how my mother and her brothers and sisters were raised, the things in their lives that affected their values, and the things they passed on to their children. METHOD The Documentary My investigation into the answers to these questions is a documentary. The term "documentary" was first applied to Flaherty's work in a 1926 review of Mme, F laherty's first work, Nanook of the North, was considered a romantic documentary that expressed "actuality" or a "slice of life." (Sherman, 1998, p. 5) In her book, Documentirlg Ourselves, Sherman (p. 20) discusses many types of documentary. The term cinema vérité was first used to describe the style of Rouch and Morin in Chronicle of a Summer, where the filmmakers interviewed people on the street. Postvérité communicates a shared reality by creating a dialogue between the subjects and the filmmaker. (Sherman, p. 27) Since I am also part of the culture of the people that I will be interviewing, my interviews are more focused. In Sherman's (1998, p. 51) section on conveying the cultural point of view, she explains that a member of that culture, rather than an outsider, would be more able to present their world as they see it. Although I did not live the experiences that my mother and her brothers and sisters did, I am not that far removed. I am better able to focus on the cultural points the interviewees are trying to make than an outsider. Rabiger (1992, p. 11) says that the value of a documentary process is that it affirms the importance of imagination and empathy while probing the depths of life for its meanings. Rabiger (p.6) also states that a documentary is not concerned with measurable facts but that it exists to scrutinize the organization of human life and promote individual human values. A documentary is a combination of the subject and seer, the event and the reaction to the event. It juxtaposes the like and the unlike and compares them. The documentary is not about the process of doing something but the effect on those that are participating in it. It is a topic unfolding as a story and dealing with the meaning of the events. In relating the stories of my relatives, the meanings will fit together in a broader picture, one that will help me understand where I came from and who I am. Personal Documentary My thesis is a documentary, but not of the historical events surrounding Stephen Pisklak’s immigration to America. It is a personal documentary that relates the experiences of the children of Stephen Pisklak as they lived in the dual culture of their Slovakian heritage and their neighborhood in Brooklyn. Stephen brought some very strong ideas and values with him to America. What was it like having him as a father? Rose, their mother, also brought strong values. How did she affect their lives? The stories of my mother and aunts and uncles discuss the customs, values, and ethics that were passed down to them, their meaning, and the impact on their lives. They, in turn, have passed some of those traditions and values to their children. Interview Questions I interviewed my mother and her brothers and sisters, and asked each of them questions from a list, which I provided prior to the interview. Additional questions were asked to clarify or expand upon ideas generated as the interview progressed. Interviewees were not required to answer all the questions, and were encouraged to speak about what affected their lives. These questions ranged from holiday customs and traditions to family values and ethics (See Appendix A for a complete list of questions). PROGRAM DESCRIPTION These interviews gathered stories that helped me in my search for meaning and identity. I want to present to the audience an engaging and personal account of my search for identity. My audience is mostly family members and others who are in the same position as I am: an adult with a family background of diverse cultures, specific customs, traditional beliefs, and instilled values. The audience is one that may have lost touch with some part of their past and may be nostalgic for the storytelling of their family history, a meaning for their existence, or a strengthening of memories and family ties. The act of storytelling has a social and cultural function. My objective is to explore how the family stories unfold the background that I came from. My identity, who I think I am, and how I view the world all have their roots in this background. The stories have affected me and the storytelling strengthens my ties to family members. The bottles of snakes, and the memories that came with them, brought me back to ask my mother and her family to retell their stories. In doing so, I was re-connected to my deceased family members, my family history, and to the storytellers themselves. An existing audio recording of my grandfather, Stephen, reminiscing about coming to America, and family photographs present the family history. The video project is intended for use as a stand-alone program for the family of Stephen Pisklak. It may become part of a larger collection of family records and memorabilia. The interviews were shot on location, mostly at my relatives’ residences. They include Rockville, MD; Ocean City, MD; Washington, D. C.; Kingwood, TX; Dunwoody, GA; Syosset, NY; North Brunswick, NJ; Winchester, MA; and Ellis Island. EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION Through these interviews with my mother and her brothers and sisters, l have found the answers to questions I asked about myself. Having relatives that immigrated to America has had an effect on my life. My Slovak heritage has exposed me to many traditions and customs. I learned that some traditions, such as the holiday foods, were kept by some of my relatives. Other relatives didn’t like some of the foods and don't make them for their families now. My mother and aunts and uncles don’t feel strong ties to their heritage because they grew up in a very diverse culture in Brooklyn, New York. Even the language has almost died out in the family. The oldest of the children, my Aunt Rosemarie, spoke only Slovak when she started school. The youngest, my Uncle Joe, only remembers a few Slovak sayings. My relatives all have interesting stories about growing up in a dual culture, but only Rosemarie continues to take Slovak classes. My family keeps only some of the traditions and remembers some of the language. Even though they may be fading out in the family, I found that following family traditions or using some of the Slovak phrases is a celebration of who we are. Besides traditions, the family has strong values. The interviews revealed how these values were passed down to my mother and her siblings and to me. We learned by example. 10 The story of the Pisklak family coming to America from Slovakia illustrates the character of the people in this family. It took years and a lot of hard work to save enough money to get to America. First, they sent the oldest son who worked in the coal mines in Pennsylvania. He saved and sent money to bring the next one in the family. For years, the family was Split between the two countries. It is this work ethic that I think was instilled in my grandfather's children. This is where I got my work ethic. My grandparents raised a family of eight children in Brooklyn, New York. The oldest children remember the depression. Money was tight and they didn’t buy on impulse. The stories I heard when l was growing up had an effect on me and the way that I handle my money. I find it hard to spend money. I don't buy on impulse. I feel that it is important to save. Loyalty was another value that my grandfather had. He ran a garage and supported his customers whenever he could. The family doctor was his customer. The ice man and local grocer were his customers. He was loyal to his customers and his community. He was also very honest with his customers. He was able to keep his business going strong even through the depression. I found that I do have a sense of loyalty to the merchants in my community. I am honest in my dealings with my clients. This way of doing business is part of my family's values. 11 I heard many stories about how charitable my grandmother was. During hard times, people would knock on her door and ask for food. They were never turned away. She helped her neighbors who were less fortunate. She got her children involved those acts of kindness. As a result, I think my mother has instilled in me the value of charity. The last question I asked myself was why I think education is important. I found out that my grandfather and grandmother didn't finish high school. My grandfather finally finished by taking classes at night. He wanted to go to college to design cars. When he found out how long it would take, he decided to fix cars instead. He then started his garage business. When his oldest son talked to him about taking over the garage, my grandfather replied that he didn’t want his son to have to work as hard as he did. He offered to help his son go to college. He knew the value of higher education. Most of his children eventually finished college. My mother went to college part time after work. It took her about ten years to complete her degree. I was very young when she finished but I do remember going with her to her college. I Ieamed that college was important. The video program, Keeper of the Snakes, presents the interviews with my relatives. I know where certain traditions came from and why I observe them. I found out where I got the ethics and values that are important to me. 12 The video was viewed and evaluated by a small panel including family and non- family members. Each viewer was asked to respond to the same survey questions after viewing the video to determine the effectiveness of the documentary (See Appendix B for the Viewer Survey questions). The video was mailed to or Shown individually to eleven individuals for evaluation. Five viewers responded to the survey questions. Two are family members who participated in the video interviews for the documentary. Three respondents are not members of my family. Of the three non-family member respondents, one has educational experience in media. I will include my own evaluation of the video program as I review the survey responses. 0 Only one viewer responded "Not Sure" when asked if the introduction and conclusion were understandable. That viewer commented that she thought "the story was going to be about one side of the family but the documentary ended up about the other side of the family." I thought the video discussed the reason that the story started with the snakes and my father’s side of the family. It also explained that when my father died, there was nobody left to tell the stories of his side of the family. I was able to investigate the things in my family’s past that affected my life because my mother and all of her brothers and sisters are still alive. I may have been able to make the transition from one side of the family to the other stronger, but I did not want to make it 13 sound like my mother's side of the family was considered for the project only after my father died. All responses indicated that the viewers understood what the "joumey” meant to the author. To me, this was a personal journey through the family’s past to find out what things affected my life and the way that I was brought up. One viewer commented that "it molded the author's ethics, standards, and way to view the world and his place in it!" During the introduction of the video, I asked several questions that lead me to search for my identity. I asked why I followed certain traditions and why I had certain values and ethics. The viewers all responded that they found themselves asking the same kinds of questions. The non-family viewers expressed this in more detail in their comments. One wondered when her grandparents came to the US, where they settled, and what they did. Another stated that although she was very curious about her ancestors, she has not taken the time and effort to find out the information in such detail as the author has done. A third non-family viewer said that the video inspired her to ask why she possesses certain character traits and to ask even deeper questions. A family member expressed concern that she didn't know all the information which came out about her family in the video. 14 Almost all of the respondents indicated that they thought the author found the answers to his questions. One viewer indicated that she was not sure and commented that "I believe he found some answers, but uncovered more questions-which is a good thing. I believe he discovered more information than he originally set out to explore." I agree with this comment. I got much more from the interviews than I thought I would, and it was difficult to keep the scope narrow and in focus. In the video interviews, my relatives expressed that you Ieam values by example and that it is not what you tell your children, it is what you do. The viewer survey asked "How do you think we develop our values?” The responses were ”by osmosis," by imitating our parents, by example, and what we see and do at home. Another response was "Through our life experiences." I think these responses support what I was finding out in the interviews. When asked if the video program was interesting, the non-family viewers said that it was ”rewarding and funny” and "Quite entertaining." Family members responded by saying they were enlightened and "blown away." In my introduction to this paper, I said that the snakes were a catalyst which started a conversation with my father about the family history and the things that affected his life when he was growing up. The survey asks the viewers 15 what they think the snakes mean. One viewer responded that the snakes represented the family's stories that were passed down through the generations. The others who responded agreed more with what I stated in the paper's introduction. They said that the snakes served to start an introspective questioning by the author as to who the family was, and how his forebears influenced his values. One response was ”They were the catalyst. Without the unusual memorabilia, the author may not have begun his questioning." The viewers all responded that the overall quality of the program, the video and audio quality, and readability of the text was good. They gave it the highest score on a one through five rating. However, I found that I had problems with both the video and audio in the production. I should have put more emphasis on production planning. I started the interviews with a professional DVCAM video camera. When this camera developed mechanical problems, I used a consumer grade Mini DV camcorder. The inconsistency showed. Quality and color balance changed from scene to scene. I needed to develop a consistent style before the first video recording. Since most interviews were in the subject's home, most of the settings were in fairly small rooms. This presented problems in designing the set and choosing the proper equipment for the locations. I didn‘t have a good plan for lighting the subjects with the instruments I was bringing to the locations. As a result, there were scenes with flat lighting, the subjects were not well defined from the 16 backgrounds, and the video had a lackluster quality. In one instance, a subject's glasses showed a lot of glare from the lighting instruments. I should have been prepared to deal with that problem and move the instruments accordingly. I did not plan on a specific size in framing the subjects and I should have kept that consistent throughout the interviews. Going from a medium close up in one scene to an extreme close up in the next scene was disturbing. In most interviews, a shotgun microphone was used instead of a lavaliere. In some situations, this allowed for poor sound quality and a high background noise level. Room acoustics were different for each interview and the shotgun microphone exaggerated echoes and other problems. The audio problems gave the video program an inconsistent sound quality from scene to scene. This was disturbing especially when one scene with high ambient noise cut to another scene with low noise. Only about half of the viewers responded that the music was appropriate and added to the video. One family member commented that she was aware there was music but did not pay attention to it. I thought my effort to include the Slovakian national anthem and original variations on that music would have caught her attention. A non-family viewer said that She "would have enjoyed more ethnic music. It was not explained to the viewers that this was the national anthem of the country where my ancestors were born. I could have spent more time in searching for Slovakian folk music for the video. 17 The survey asked, "Did the speakers have things to say that went together with each other?” The respondents all said yes. One viewer commented that "The clips fit together smoothly. Transition from one subject to the next was done effortlessly.” I had my doubts, maybe because I was too close to the people I interviewed and the subject being discussed. I felt that I could not step back and look at the program objectively. I had trouble making decisions about what to edit out and what to include. One family member thought that the importance of the family’s religious background should have been included. A non-family viewer wanted to see more interactions between the interviewees and thought the banter between the two sisters was "priceless.” I realized how special the interaction on camera was, but I could not arrange for any more interviews with two or more people. Some of my relatives were unwilling to be interviewed with their brothers or sisters. Time and distance also prevented more taped interactions between interviewees. Two other viewers said they could not think of anything else which should have been included. They commented that the subject was covered well and that "the video was relaxed and understandable. It gave the feeling that the viewer was a part of the setting." When asked what should have been left out, only one viewer responded. This was a family member who said "There was a bit too much on the mushroom soup. I think the word sauerkraut seems to intrigue everyone." 18 0 My goal was to present the audience with an engaging and personal account of my search for identity. A non-family viewer gave the following comment: "I enjoyed the comments and impressions on the impact of the values left by the parents. I liked the fact that each sibling had his or her own opinions, and remembrances expressed . This piece shows the unique way a family comes to treasure experiences, foods, and histories. It is sensitive and light, but has tremendous depth, because of the unifying legacy the grandparents left in the hearts of the members of this family. Very inspirational. This piece caused me to reflect on the values I might leave with my own child." A family viewer gave this last comment: "It was very involving and enlightening. I think you really captured all the different aspects we were exposed to via our parents and how they affected us even without our knowing it was happening." Viewers said the video flowed, it was interesting, and entertaining. It was also a catalyst. They began asking themselves questions about their own family culture. I feel this documentary was successful and communicated a shared reality as discussed by Sherman. (1998, p. 27) In the process, there was a dialogue which revealed the experiences that helped form some of my family’s values. Rabiger (1992, p. 6) said a documentary promotes individual human values and deals with the meaning of events. As the family story unfolded, the significance of events became clear. For example, hard work brought the entire family to America. This is reflected in our strong work ethic today. 19 During the interview process, I found that the relationship I had with my relatives changed. I was not a nephew or a son asking my aunts, uncles, or mother questions about the family. They were responding to me as an individual, as someone they were revealing their feelings to. I got to know them on a different level. I now have a better appreciation of my family’s culture, history, and strength of character. As the project moved forward, I developed my skills as an interviewer. I handled the last interview differently than the first. I Ieamed how to engage my relatives in a conversation, ease their self-consciousness in front of the camera, and get them to share their thoughts by leading them with questions tailored to their individual experiences. I found I could not direct the interviews to fit my preconceived ideas, but rather the project took on a life of its own. After I reviewed all the interviews, I discovered there were common threads I could build on. My relatives all talked about how they manage their money and their father's mantra, "Do you need it? Must you have it? Is it necessary?" I Ieamed how my narration had to bring these pieces together so they would flow and unfold in a story. I found how the documentary and interview process can gather information, feelings, and emotions and present them in an interesting and engaging manner. One thing that interested me when I was researching my family background was the way that the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation gathered and presented 20 the stories of those immigrants who passed through Ellis Island. On the web site at www.ellisisland.org, The American Family Immigration History Center allows you to set up a family scrapbook with information and images. I think it would be interesting to explore the possibilities of creating something similar whereby families can share their stories and experiences with video clips and create little documentaries. I found the answers to my questions of self-identity. I know where my work ethic came from and why I handle money a certain way. I found where I got the values of loyalty, charity, and honesty. I know why education is important to me. The snakes were the catalyst, which started me on a personal journey. The "Keeper of the Snakes" was a thought-provoking program which prompted the audience to ask themselves, ’Who am I, and how did I become this person?" 21 APPENDIX A 22 APPENDIX A Interview Questions 1. When you were growing up, was your Slovak heritage important to you or did you want to blend in with your friends and neighbors? How do you think your heritage affected you? 2. Do you find yourself saying or doing something that is what your parents would have said or done? 3. What customs or traditions did your grandparents bring from the old country that your parents tried to preserve? What things did they change? What things did you, your brothers, and your sisters try to preserve or change? Do you think you passed some of these things on to your children? 4. Do you think the way that you were brought up was different than the way that your older or younger Sisters were brought up? Did the rules change? Did the customs and traditions change over time? What similarities or differences are there between the way that you were brought up and the way that you have tried to bring up your children? 23 5. Were you given guidelines, directions, or paths that you should follow by your parents and grandparents? Do you think we live by example and by imitating our parents? 6. What things or lessons in life do you think your parents passed on to you? 7. What things did you get from your parents that you felt were valuable enough to pass on to your children? 8. Was there a turning point in your parents' or grandparents’ lives that had an effect on the rest of the family? Was there a turning point that had an effect on your life? 9. Are there family stories or sayings that you have passed down to your children? Have the meanings changed? 10.What traditions or holiday customs did you observe in your family when you were a child that you now observe in your own family? Are there new traditions that you have picked up? 11.00 you encourage your family to try the types of foods you grew up with? 24 12.When you were growing up in Brooklyn, did you feel that you were rich or poor? Was your family affected by the depression? Is the way that you handle your money affected by the way that you were brought up? 13.Your father owned his own business. Where do you think he got his business sense? Do you think they way he ran his business affected the family in any way? 14.Your father had quite a sense of history. Do you think that is something that was passed down to you and your brothers and sisters? Do your children have a sense of where you came from, your roots? 15.What were your grandparents like? Were there strong similarities or differences between your grandparents and your parents? 16. Do you think that your relationship with you father or mother has made a difference in who you feel that you are. Did you feel that you had to measure up to the standards that your parents set? 17. Do you think you followed in your father’s footsteps? Do you think your mother has influenced the path you have taken? 25 APPENDIX B 26 APPENDIX B Viewer Survey Keeper of the Snakes This survey can be filled out on your computer and returned to me by email. Please put an “X” in the box, and fill in your comments. The space will expand with the length of your comments. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey and emailing it back to me. I appreciate your efforts. 1.Was the introduction and conclusion understandable? Yes No Not Sure Comments 2. Did you understand what this journey means to the author? Yes No Not Sure Comments 3. Have you found yourself asking the kinds of questions the author asked himself? Yes No Not Sure Comments 27 4. Did the video bring up additional questions you might ask? If so, what? Yes No Not Sure Comments 5. Do you think the author found the answers to his questions? Yes No Not Sure Comments 6. How do you think we develop our values? 7. Did you find the program interesting? Yes No Not Sure Comments 8. What do you think the snakes mean? 9. What did you think of the overall quality of the program? Good 'UO'l‘th—t OCT 28 10. Were the subtitles readable and clear? Good 1 2 3 4 5 Poor 11. How was the visual quality of the video? Good 1 2 3 4 5 Poor 12. How was the audio quality of the video? Good 1 2 3 4 5 Poor 13. Did you feel that the music was appropriate and added to the video? Yes No Not Sure Comments 14. Did the speakers have things to say that went together with each other? Yes No Not Sure Comments 29 15. What would you add to the program? 16. What would you leave out of the program? 17. Do you have any other comments? L 30 REFERENCES 31 REFERENCES Cavanaugh, J. C. (1992). Adult development and aging Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Rabiger, M. (1992). Directing the documentary. Boston, MA: Focal Press. Sherman, S. R. (1998). Documenting ourselves: Film, video, and culture. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. 32