Poetry Group Presentation
Students will make presentations on poetry per: Writing about Literature (82). The sections are: Elements of Poetry: The Speaker & The Listener; Elements of Poetry: Imagery; Elements of Poetry: Sound and Sense; Elements of Poetry: Form, Elements of Poetry: Meter.
Jay, Jacqueline, June and Tia: Imagery
Joseph, Ade, Al: Sound and Sense
Melvin, Angela, Nick: Form
Ajmand, Igor: Meter
We will go over: Elements of Poetry: The Speaker & The Listener together in freewrites.
We had a guest last week, Thursday, October 27, 2011, Maria Acuña. She performs with the Quijeremá, which has a performance at "Strings," November, 2, 8 PM in Berkeley on San Pablo near Alcatraz.
Students were very quiet and didn't engage Maria much. In fact, she didn't even share any of her own work. Today, as a freewrite, write a response to Maria in the form of a letter. Tell her what you took from her presentation and ask her a few questions in retrospect you wish you had asked.
Visit her website first and read more about the ensemble, if you have not already done so: http://www.quijerema.com/home.cfm
Born and raised in Venezuela, Maria Fernanda Acuña specializes in a variety of drums and Latin American percussion instruments such as the Peruvian Cajon, Afro-Venezuelan hand drums and Maracas. For her work with Quijeremá she has developed a unique drum-set incorporating folk instruments from around the world combined with traditional cymbals, snare and kick drum. She also is an accomplished Cuatro player. Her unique approach and wide range of instrumentation plays a major role in defining the sound of Quijeremá.
Acuña began her musical training on piano as a child, and as a teenager, trained on trapset with noted Venezuelan percussionist Jose Matos. She studied composition and arranging in Caracas with Maria Eugenia Vera, and percussion with Itabora Ferreira (Brazil), Alexander Livinali (Venezuela), and Alex Acuña (Peru), as well as studying at the Jazz School in Berkeley, California.
Acuña has worked with a variety of artists including Alex de Grassi, Rafael Manriquez, Jackeline Rago, The Venezuelan Music Project, and Eduardo Mendelievich with Creative Voices.
Acuña has a degree in Latin American literature at Mills College, with an emphasis on the historic and cultural development of Venezuelan music as it relates to the African diaspora, and is presently in a Master’s program in English Literature at Mills College. She also teaches Spanish through music to children at “Viva el Español” and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Recap Continued
Besides deciding which students would present which poetry lesson, we also read a few poems, from Indivisible. Again, not much response from the audience (you). Verbal participation is a part of the class.
Students are worrying about grades. One student mentioned she needs an A in the class. It's too bad that knowledge is not an end in itself; it is the grade which is as I mention in the syllabus, not a true measure of one's skill, conceptual success, progress, or understanding, let alone one's ability to demonstrate this mastery once the incubation or class has ended.
Getting the A is the easy part. Identification and application of these skills in the real world is where the difficulty lies.
Take your vitamins before you show up tomorrow.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Assignments, Homework and Cyber-Assignments
Today in class we discussed the essay on Ruined which is due, Thursday, October 27, 2011 before 12 midnight (smile). Melvin shared his essay this morning on Girl in Translation. He got an A on the essay. Each meeting we will hear from a student writer. I think this will help students measure where they are regarding what a passing sounds like.
Have an essay in mind so when you are invited to share, it is handy (smile).
Homework
Watch this video on Indivisible and respond here. It is an hour long, so give yourself time. It needs to be watched before class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8faRwFvqLHU&noredirect=1
Bring your book to class, we will take one of the poems as a freewrite and talk about the language of poetry.
We will have a guest for the remainder of the class, unless she is chosen to serve on the jury.
Poetry Group Presentation
Students will make presentations on poetry per: Writing about Literature (82). The sections are: Elements of Poetry: The Speaker & The Listener; Elements of Poetry: Imagery; Elements of Poetry: Sound and Sense; Elements of Poetry: Form, Elements of Poetry: Meter.
Jay, Jacqueline, June and Tia: Imagery
Joseph, Ade, Al: Sound and Sense
Melvin, angela, Nick: Form
Ajmand, Igor: Meter
We will look at The Speaker & The Listener together
I will give out the assignments Thursday, October 27, 2011. Students will have an opportunity to get together and plan the presentation on Tuesday, November 1 and Thursday, Nov. 3. Students will develop a lesson plan with goals and objectives and teach a lesson as well.
It should be fun. All participants will share the grade. Students will give me copies of the lesson plan and have copies of the exercise(s) for students where applicable.
Poetry In-class Essay
We will write the poetry essay in class on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, the entire essay. You will have an hour. Figure out what poem(s) from Indivisible you would like to analyze in an essay beforehand. Bring in an essay plan, with an outline and a thesis.
Persepolis In-class Essay
Consider it a midterm. We will write the essay on Persepolis in class as well. Consider it a final essay (smile).
Bring Persepolis to class Tuesday, Nov. 8-10, 2011. We will do a little background research on the film. I will show students some of the film, especially the interview with the writer. Students will have an opportunity to discuss the novel in class. It is not an essay read. We will write this essay in class on Nov. 17.
Final Essay
Your final, final essay is on your book and will be due Nov. 22, for a peer review. Bring it to class electronically. The presentations begin, Nov. 29 and continue Dec. 1. We will work on portfolios on Dec. 6. Students should bring all their assignments to class electronically that day so we can assemble them.
More later re: specifics, that is, the portfolio checklist.
This is the semester. Put these dates in your calendar. We have no sitting final. Thursday, Dec. 8 is an optional class. The portfolio isn't due until December 16, 2011. Grades aren't due until January 2012. I can let you know your grade if you need it to transfer or meet a requirement.
Have an essay in mind so when you are invited to share, it is handy (smile).
Homework
Watch this video on Indivisible and respond here. It is an hour long, so give yourself time. It needs to be watched before class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8faRwFvqLHU&noredirect=1
Bring your book to class, we will take one of the poems as a freewrite and talk about the language of poetry.
We will have a guest for the remainder of the class, unless she is chosen to serve on the jury.
Poetry Group Presentation
Students will make presentations on poetry per: Writing about Literature (82). The sections are: Elements of Poetry: The Speaker & The Listener; Elements of Poetry: Imagery; Elements of Poetry: Sound and Sense; Elements of Poetry: Form, Elements of Poetry: Meter.
Jay, Jacqueline, June and Tia: Imagery
Joseph, Ade, Al: Sound and Sense
Melvin, angela, Nick: Form
Ajmand, Igor: Meter
We will look at The Speaker & The Listener together
I will give out the assignments Thursday, October 27, 2011. Students will have an opportunity to get together and plan the presentation on Tuesday, November 1 and Thursday, Nov. 3. Students will develop a lesson plan with goals and objectives and teach a lesson as well.
It should be fun. All participants will share the grade. Students will give me copies of the lesson plan and have copies of the exercise(s) for students where applicable.
Poetry In-class Essay
We will write the poetry essay in class on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, the entire essay. You will have an hour. Figure out what poem(s) from Indivisible you would like to analyze in an essay beforehand. Bring in an essay plan, with an outline and a thesis.
Persepolis In-class Essay
Consider it a midterm. We will write the essay on Persepolis in class as well. Consider it a final essay (smile).
Bring Persepolis to class Tuesday, Nov. 8-10, 2011. We will do a little background research on the film. I will show students some of the film, especially the interview with the writer. Students will have an opportunity to discuss the novel in class. It is not an essay read. We will write this essay in class on Nov. 17.
Final Essay
Your final, final essay is on your book and will be due Nov. 22, for a peer review. Bring it to class electronically. The presentations begin, Nov. 29 and continue Dec. 1. We will work on portfolios on Dec. 6. Students should bring all their assignments to class electronically that day so we can assemble them.
More later re: specifics, that is, the portfolio checklist.
This is the semester. Put these dates in your calendar. We have no sitting final. Thursday, Dec. 8 is an optional class. The portfolio isn't due until December 16, 2011. Grades aren't due until January 2012. I can let you know your grade if you need it to transfer or meet a requirement.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Literary Events
Quijerema performs at: Cafe Leila, Thursday, October 20 7 p.m., 1724 San Pablo Ave Berkeley CA Visit http://www.quijerema.com/
Maria, one of the members of this ensemble, is going to visit the class at some point this semester (smile). If you attend this evening, say hi to her and mention our class.
Desdemona (Wed.-Sat., Oct. 26-29)
Also think about attending one of the workshops for Desdemona next week: October 27, 5 PM and Friday, October 28, 12-2 PM. Visit http://www.calperformances.org/performances/2011-12/theater/desdemona.php
Cal Performances brings you the U.S. premiere of an extraordinary theatrical collaboration!
In response to Peter Sellars's 2009 Othello, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison, singer/songwriter Rokia Traoré, and Peter Sellars join forces to create an intimate and profound conversation from beyond the grave between Shakespeare's Desdemona and Barbary, the woman Shakespeare identifies as the African nurse who raised her. After centuries of colonialism and racism, the two women share stories, songs, determination, and hope for a different future. Morrison has written an unforgettable, incisive, and compelling script, and writing the music and singing the role of Barbary is Rokia Traoré, one of Africa's greatest vocalists. Traoré plays off the griot tradition, transforming and extending classic Malian music into a "truly mesmerizing" (USA Today) sound. Peter Sellars, the creative, penetrating, and influential voice in the world of opera and theater, directs.
Maria, one of the members of this ensemble, is going to visit the class at some point this semester (smile). If you attend this evening, say hi to her and mention our class.
Desdemona (Wed.-Sat., Oct. 26-29)
Also think about attending one of the workshops for Desdemona next week: October 27, 5 PM and Friday, October 28, 12-2 PM. Visit http://www.calperformances.org/performances/2011-12/theater/desdemona.php
Cal Performances brings you the U.S. premiere of an extraordinary theatrical collaboration!
In response to Peter Sellars's 2009 Othello, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison, singer/songwriter Rokia Traoré, and Peter Sellars join forces to create an intimate and profound conversation from beyond the grave between Shakespeare's Desdemona and Barbary, the woman Shakespeare identifies as the African nurse who raised her. After centuries of colonialism and racism, the two women share stories, songs, determination, and hope for a different future. Morrison has written an unforgettable, incisive, and compelling script, and writing the music and singing the role of Barbary is Rokia Traoré, one of Africa's greatest vocalists. Traoré plays off the griot tradition, transforming and extending classic Malian music into a "truly mesmerizing" (USA Today) sound. Peter Sellars, the creative, penetrating, and influential voice in the world of opera and theater, directs.
Freewrite
Ruined Thoughts (smile)
Ruined Topics
POETRY
Why one needs poetry in war times
Poetry as a symbol in Ruined
DEFINITION
What does it mean to be ruined?
RAPE as a metaphor for capitalism and neocolonialism, Western Cultures over consumption.
SOBRIETY
Why does Christian value his sobriety? What does the FANTA REPRESENT?
CHARACTER(S)
Character names: Christian, Fortune, Salima or Peace, Mama Nadi, Sophie (symbol of wisdom. Wisdom comes from suffering. Are Sophie and Mama Nadi two aspects of the same character or persona?
What about Salima and Josephine, are they aspects of the same composite character, a woman who is both victim and survivor in warfare? How does she survive? How does she transform the situation into a life which is while not opportune, somewhat bearable? )
SCENE
Scene: Eden turned in on itself. Congo is rich and deadly like the apple (Colton) can change one’s fortune forever
SYMBOLS
Colton—snake or is the snake or temptation greed
Love—how even in the worse situations there is love, there is a place for love and thus a place for hope
Fortune's iron pot.
BLOOD AS sacrifice, blood as cleansing, blood as renewal, blood as hope.
SOLDIER'S BOOT on Salima's chest, on her baby's skull and her comparison of it to something sweet (Nottage 46).
LANGUAGE
We looked at the language of the play and the dialogue. One can look more closely at how what is said doesn't always mirror what is done.
In Class Writing
Students spent a significant time exploring a topic, theirs or one of mine in an extended freewrite. No one wanted to do any collaborative writing (smile). Post your musings here for feedback. This is optional.
OUTLINE from the board
& Cyber-Assignment
1. Find a scholarly article connected to a theme you'd like to explore in your essay or connected to thematically to the play. Use the COA library database. Post a summary of the article here.
Read it and summarize it. When you have finished the summary, compare to the abstract. Where if at all do the two interpretations differ? How so?
Other HOMEWORK Outline continued
I gave a brief overview of the chapter on poetry. Students are to read it and bring in the text Tuesday.
2. Indivisible
3. Revisions (Look for mail from me re: essay revisions).
4. A Reading (Students are to look through their body of work for this semester and be prepared to share an essay next week: Short Fiction, the Novel, Grace Paley.) I shared a student essay, which got an A+.
5. Read Writing about Poems (82)
6. For Tuesday, bring in a thesis sentence you'd like to explore in an essay on Ruined and clear examples and ideas on how you plan to accomplish this task. Be prepared to write for half an hour in class, to finish the essay for Thursday.
We will also explore revision strategies (video).
7. I passed out a handout on Topical Invention. I want students to use one of each type of sentence in this essay on Ruined.
Ruined Topics
POETRY
Why one needs poetry in war times
Poetry as a symbol in Ruined
DEFINITION
What does it mean to be ruined?
RAPE as a metaphor for capitalism and neocolonialism, Western Cultures over consumption.
SOBRIETY
Why does Christian value his sobriety? What does the FANTA REPRESENT?
CHARACTER(S)
Character names: Christian, Fortune, Salima or Peace, Mama Nadi, Sophie (symbol of wisdom. Wisdom comes from suffering. Are Sophie and Mama Nadi two aspects of the same character or persona?
What about Salima and Josephine, are they aspects of the same composite character, a woman who is both victim and survivor in warfare? How does she survive? How does she transform the situation into a life which is while not opportune, somewhat bearable? )
SCENE
Scene: Eden turned in on itself. Congo is rich and deadly like the apple (Colton) can change one’s fortune forever
SYMBOLS
Colton—snake or is the snake or temptation greed
Love—how even in the worse situations there is love, there is a place for love and thus a place for hope
Fortune's iron pot.
BLOOD AS sacrifice, blood as cleansing, blood as renewal, blood as hope.
SOLDIER'S BOOT on Salima's chest, on her baby's skull and her comparison of it to something sweet (Nottage 46).
LANGUAGE
We looked at the language of the play and the dialogue. One can look more closely at how what is said doesn't always mirror what is done.
In Class Writing
Students spent a significant time exploring a topic, theirs or one of mine in an extended freewrite. No one wanted to do any collaborative writing (smile). Post your musings here for feedback. This is optional.
OUTLINE from the board
& Cyber-Assignment
1. Find a scholarly article connected to a theme you'd like to explore in your essay or connected to thematically to the play. Use the COA library database. Post a summary of the article here.
Read it and summarize it. When you have finished the summary, compare to the abstract. Where if at all do the two interpretations differ? How so?
Other HOMEWORK Outline continued
I gave a brief overview of the chapter on poetry. Students are to read it and bring in the text Tuesday.
2. Indivisible
3. Revisions (Look for mail from me re: essay revisions).
4. A Reading (Students are to look through their body of work for this semester and be prepared to share an essay next week: Short Fiction, the Novel, Grace Paley.) I shared a student essay, which got an A+.
5. Read Writing about Poems (82)
6. For Tuesday, bring in a thesis sentence you'd like to explore in an essay on Ruined and clear examples and ideas on how you plan to accomplish this task. Be prepared to write for half an hour in class, to finish the essay for Thursday.
We will also explore revision strategies (video).
7. I passed out a handout on Topical Invention. I want students to use one of each type of sentence in this essay on Ruined.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Completing "Ruined"
Today we looked at Topical Invention, a questioning strategy to develop: analogies, definition, consequence, testimony.
When using this strategy, students are to reference the topic in each sentence.
The questions are:
Definition: What is it/What was it?
Consequence: What caused it/Did it cause?
Analogy: What is it like or unlike?
Testimony: What does an authority say about it?
We incorporated these questions into a three paragraph essay: Thesis or Pro-Argument, Antithesis or Con-argument, Synthesis or the mediation point between the two polarities.
We didn't complete the essay; however, we did complete it via discussion. Please post your reflections on this process, both topical invention and the 3-part essay.
Homework is to bring in the book or work you plan to use for your final essay. Also, bring in the collection of poetry: Indivisible. Bring in earplugs too.
Lastly, bring in a question you'd like to explore re: Ruined. We spoke about several angles and read the student essay in The Portable Guide.
We will have a freewrite connected to Ruined.
When using this strategy, students are to reference the topic in each sentence.
The questions are:
Definition: What is it/What was it?
Consequence: What caused it/Did it cause?
Analogy: What is it like or unlike?
Testimony: What does an authority say about it?
We incorporated these questions into a three paragraph essay: Thesis or Pro-Argument, Antithesis or Con-argument, Synthesis or the mediation point between the two polarities.
We didn't complete the essay; however, we did complete it via discussion. Please post your reflections on this process, both topical invention and the 3-part essay.
Homework is to bring in the book or work you plan to use for your final essay. Also, bring in the collection of poetry: Indivisible. Bring in earplugs too.
Lastly, bring in a question you'd like to explore re: Ruined. We spoke about several angles and read the student essay in The Portable Guide.
We will have a freewrite connected to Ruined.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Today in class there was a complaint that though the film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell was a great film, what was the connection between watching a film and writing an essay about literature or art?
Good question.
Some students are struggling with MLA and citations because they don't have materials in their possession and others are just rusty. In any event, no assignment is a throw away assignment. To make a film one has to be able to write and in a critique we look at themes, thesis or plot, character, etc., many of the same elements we have been looking at for fiction and plays, not to mention the social/political psychological aspect of the tale.
The theme is: Women and War. What makes one's writing compelling and interesting is what one brings, as in experiences, to the topic. The film I showed you is a awardwinning film that expands the story in Ruined. It is also topical, as in Liberia there is an election now.
If anyone finds the information about Layman Gbowee's book tour, please post it.
We spent a moment developing a potential opening sentence in a short response to Ritcker's film. We stated that it is about a peace movement started by a woman, Gbowee which is remarkable in that it united women cross culturally and cross other ethnic, religious and economic lines.
We started to draw parallels between Laymah and Mama Nadi looking at how sex is used as a tool to stop war and establish peace, even if their motivations are viewed similarly by all.
Safety for the women and their families, safety for the patrons in the brothel--safety for the nation are places where the two stories also overlap.
Not many students saw altruism as a characteristic of Mama Nadi, except Nick who mentioned Mama Nadi's agreement to let Sophie stay. Other student countered this with Mama Nadi's dependence on Christian for girls and goods and how she needed to continue to cultivate his favor.
Ruined
Ruined is also topical as next week is Congo Week.
We read up to Scene 5 and a part of Scene 6. We will finish the play on Tuesday and talk a bit about poetry. Students should also bring in their books they are reading, the point of reading a play aloud was to give students an opportunity to read their book.
Good question.
Some students are struggling with MLA and citations because they don't have materials in their possession and others are just rusty. In any event, no assignment is a throw away assignment. To make a film one has to be able to write and in a critique we look at themes, thesis or plot, character, etc., many of the same elements we have been looking at for fiction and plays, not to mention the social/political psychological aspect of the tale.
The theme is: Women and War. What makes one's writing compelling and interesting is what one brings, as in experiences, to the topic. The film I showed you is a awardwinning film that expands the story in Ruined. It is also topical, as in Liberia there is an election now.
If anyone finds the information about Layman Gbowee's book tour, please post it.
We spent a moment developing a potential opening sentence in a short response to Ritcker's film. We stated that it is about a peace movement started by a woman, Gbowee which is remarkable in that it united women cross culturally and cross other ethnic, religious and economic lines.
We started to draw parallels between Laymah and Mama Nadi looking at how sex is used as a tool to stop war and establish peace, even if their motivations are viewed similarly by all.
Safety for the women and their families, safety for the patrons in the brothel--safety for the nation are places where the two stories also overlap.
Not many students saw altruism as a characteristic of Mama Nadi, except Nick who mentioned Mama Nadi's agreement to let Sophie stay. Other student countered this with Mama Nadi's dependence on Christian for girls and goods and how she needed to continue to cultivate his favor.
Ruined
Ruined is also topical as next week is Congo Week.
We read up to Scene 5 and a part of Scene 6. We will finish the play on Tuesday and talk a bit about poetry. Students should also bring in their books they are reading, the point of reading a play aloud was to give students an opportunity to read their book.
"Women and War" Freewrite and Essay
We watched video a couple of weeks ago on a PBS series: Women, War and Peace, which kicked off Tuesday, October 11, 2011. See http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/
The film Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a part of the series. Reflect on an essay on the topic of Women and War. Connect to Ruined.
Use 3 citations in the essay (250 words). Post here.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.
Film Synopsis
"Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they demanded a resolution to the country’s civil war. Their actions were a critical element in bringing about a agreement during the stalled peace talks.
"A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. Inspiring, uplifting, and most of all motivating, it is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations" (http://praythedevilbacktohell.com/synopsis.php)
Announcements
Next week is International Congo Week. There will be activities happening throughout the world to bring attention to what is happening there, esp. to the women. If you go to an event, and write about it, you can have extra credit. Visit http://congoweek.org/why-congo-week.html and http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/
This weekend is also Litquake Weekend, October 7-15. Visit http://www.litquake.org/
The film Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a part of the series. Reflect on an essay on the topic of Women and War. Connect to Ruined.
Use 3 citations in the essay (250 words). Post here.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.
Film Synopsis
"Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they demanded a resolution to the country’s civil war. Their actions were a critical element in bringing about a agreement during the stalled peace talks.
"A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. Inspiring, uplifting, and most of all motivating, it is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations" (http://praythedevilbacktohell.com/synopsis.php)
Announcements
Next week is International Congo Week. There will be activities happening throughout the world to bring attention to what is happening there, esp. to the women. If you go to an event, and write about it, you can have extra credit. Visit http://congoweek.org/why-congo-week.html and http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/
This weekend is also Litquake Weekend, October 7-15. Visit http://www.litquake.org/
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Cyber-Assignment on Ruined
Homework is to think about the characters in Ruined, Mama Nadi and the women in the brothel: Salima, Josephine and Sophie; Fortune, Salima's husband, his friend, Laurent, the military, Christian and Mr. Harari and lesser unnamed characters.
Write a brief recap and analysis of where we are in the story now and the symbolism Nottage captures in her characters and the setting, of the horrors of war. Later we even notice subtle irony in Nottage's choice of names for the characters as well, esp. Fortune, Salima's (which means "peace), husband. Is the brothel a kind of "Eden"?
If so, then who or what is the snake?
Post reflections here. Reference "Elements of Drama" (92) and "Literary Criticism" (143) specifically interpretive analysis looking at Formalism and New Criticism and Feminism and Gender Criticism, Post-colonial Criticism (a little), and Psychological Theories like archetypes (148-149). Marxism works as well, but I think LC and FNC provide a better framework for this analysis.
We will write this essay at the end of the month and start the Poetry unit towards the end of the month as well. We will have a special guest, Maria Acuna who will talk about her work and give us a writing assignment. Students will also team up to make presentations on Elements of Poetry per Writing about Literature.
Write a brief recap and analysis of where we are in the story now and the symbolism Nottage captures in her characters and the setting, of the horrors of war. Later we even notice subtle irony in Nottage's choice of names for the characters as well, esp. Fortune, Salima's (which means "peace), husband. Is the brothel a kind of "Eden"?
If so, then who or what is the snake?
Post reflections here. Reference "Elements of Drama" (92) and "Literary Criticism" (143) specifically interpretive analysis looking at Formalism and New Criticism and Feminism and Gender Criticism, Post-colonial Criticism (a little), and Psychological Theories like archetypes (148-149). Marxism works as well, but I think LC and FNC provide a better framework for this analysis.
We will write this essay at the end of the month and start the Poetry unit towards the end of the month as well. We will have a special guest, Maria Acuna who will talk about her work and give us a writing assignment. Students will also team up to make presentations on Elements of Poetry per Writing about Literature.
Girl in Translation Essay Assignment
Today students wrote their essays on Girl in Translation. This was an extended freewrite. Make sure you use 1-2 sources outside the book for your essay. If you only site from one source the other can be a bibliography.
Develop a question or statement to guide the writing. If students want to expand on the freewrite already posted, this is certainly okay.
The essays can be submitted via Internet today or by tomorrow if students needed more time to finish. Send to: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com
Develop a question or statement to guide the writing. If students want to expand on the freewrite already posted, this is certainly okay.
The essays can be submitted via Internet today or by tomorrow if students needed more time to finish. Send to: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Cyber-Field Trip Sign-up for next Thursday, October 13, 2011
Let me know if you are interested and bring your $5 to class Monday-Tuesday, October 10-11, 2011. I want to buy the tickets in advance. The venue will not hold tickets for us, but I doubt that they sell out. However, one never knows, Marc is famous here and well-loved.
We can meet at West Oakland BART at 6:30 PM and travel together. YBCA is on Third and Mission Street, 701 Mission Street in San Francisco.
YBCA is pleased to present the world premiere of Joseph’s newest project, Red, Black & GREEN: Marc Bamuthi Joseph/ The Living Word Project October 13 - 22 7:30 p.m. Admission $5 You can buy as many tickets as you like. Invite friends and family.
Overview
It is a hard and obvious truth that people of color are under-represented in the environmental movement. It is also a hard and obvious truth that violent crime and poor education pose more of an imminent danger to most poor neighborhoods than environmental crisis. I personally am of the belief that the movement for social change and environmental accountability are one and the same, that focusing on steps to sustain the planet ultimately forces us to envision a pathway to sustaining humanity. — Marc Bamuthi Joseph
YBCA has had a long and fertile association with Bay Area artist and director Marc Bamuthi Joseph whose artistic work reflects an evolving aesthetic that integrates spoken word with contemporary movement to produce performance works that are populist, experimental and that challenge formal models from both a cultural and environmental.
We can meet at West Oakland BART at 6:30 PM and travel together. YBCA is on Third and Mission Street, 701 Mission Street in San Francisco.
YBCA is pleased to present the world premiere of Joseph’s newest project, Red, Black & GREEN: Marc Bamuthi Joseph/ The Living Word Project October 13 - 22 7:30 p.m. Admission $5 You can buy as many tickets as you like. Invite friends and family.
Overview
It is a hard and obvious truth that people of color are under-represented in the environmental movement. It is also a hard and obvious truth that violent crime and poor education pose more of an imminent danger to most poor neighborhoods than environmental crisis. I personally am of the belief that the movement for social change and environmental accountability are one and the same, that focusing on steps to sustain the planet ultimately forces us to envision a pathway to sustaining humanity. — Marc Bamuthi Joseph
YBCA has had a long and fertile association with Bay Area artist and director Marc Bamuthi Joseph whose artistic work reflects an evolving aesthetic that integrates spoken word with contemporary movement to produce performance works that are populist, experimental and that challenge formal models from both a cultural and environmental.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Today students shared reflections on Grace Paley's body of work. All of the poetry and stories were outstanding. Many students had similar selections like Alex and Nick, Angela and Jacqueline. The two women spoke of loving the eroticism in a poem about an older woman (smile).
Tia's poem elucidated a lot of conversation as we tried to figure out who was speaking--we looked at motives and regret in light of a tragic character's suicide. It was interesting how often one's ability to empathize with a character might be constrained by one's inability to see their dilemma. The conversation was wonderful as well. I found Nick's comments quite moving and insightful. I liked his personal reasons for choosing the work he did and connecting the poem he shared with the themes from the prose poem.
We then read Act 1, Scene 1. With nontraditional casting, the reading was fun.
Students then shifted back to Paley and read and commented on each other's essays and gave them a grade. Some students had to take the essay home and revise it, others turned them into me.
Homework is to read the chapter on writing about plays in Writing about Literature.
Tia's poem elucidated a lot of conversation as we tried to figure out who was speaking--we looked at motives and regret in light of a tragic character's suicide. It was interesting how often one's ability to empathize with a character might be constrained by one's inability to see their dilemma. The conversation was wonderful as well. I found Nick's comments quite moving and insightful. I liked his personal reasons for choosing the work he did and connecting the poem he shared with the themes from the prose poem.
We then read Act 1, Scene 1. With nontraditional casting, the reading was fun.
Students then shifted back to Paley and read and commented on each other's essays and gave them a grade. Some students had to take the essay home and revise it, others turned them into me.
Homework is to read the chapter on writing about plays in Writing about Literature.
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