Today the class was small (3). We read John's paper and then students worked on either writing the Persepolis paper, revisions, or writing the Independent Research paper which is due next week. The presentation is next Thursday. Here is a link on the elements of a comic strip: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_comic_strip_unit_called

Also in Hacker, Seventh Edition, see page 83: Guidelines for Analyzing a Text: "Visual Texts."

Tuesday bring in the Initial Planning Sheet, outline and 3-5 sources in MLA. The final draft isn't due until Dec. 14-18, 12 noon. (This a flexible due date period.)

For Thursday, students will present their research for discussion and critique. After the presentation all students will comment on what worked best in the presentation (cyber-assignment). The presenters will all have to submit a self-reflection on what worked well, what he or she learned from the experience and anything they will change in future presentations.

Make the presentation interactive. You can use film, music, posters, PowerPoint, etc. Keep the presentation to 5-10 minutes. 

All presenters will give classmates an abstract which lays out the argument, a brief summary of key points and anything else we need to know. For examples of abstracts visit the librarian and ask for assistance. You can also see: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/abstracts/

If you want me to make a copy of your abstract, give it to me Tuesday. We will share abstracts and you can print a copy for me in class.

All papers which did not receive a passing grade should be resubmitted by Friday, no later than Monday, Dec. 3.

Note:
I spoke to choreographer, Alonzo King about your reading his program note. He was pleased and asked what you thought about it (smile).

Persepolis Cyber-Assignment

Today we developed thesis sentences for Persepolis using the 3-part thesis form. Post your thesis sentences here.

Although the novel Persepolis by Marjane Sarapi uses graphic to tell her story, once inside the novel one loses oneself in the "colorful" illustrations often wishing for a more traditional narrative style, because the form interferes with one's ability to ignore or forget the perils and tragedy of Marji's war.

Although Iranian heroine Marji begins her story with a certain naivete, son she comes to realize neither God nor Uncle Anoosh or Grandmother is going to save her, she has to save herself, because Persepolis is falling.

We then took one of the thesis sentences and developed a 3-part essay: thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Post this here as well.

Lastly, we read aloud another student essay. Bring your Persepolis essay to class on Thursday to share with the class. Bring a paper copy--I want to make copies for your classmates.

Make sure you include the outline and the Initial Planning Sheet.

Persepolis

Homework was to read Persepolis up to "The Soup." Today we will talk about themes.

In class locate three sources: a book review, a scholarly article from the COA Library Database, and an article about the author. Suggestion, choose an article that looks at the genre "graphic fiction" or "the graphic novel."

Put in MLA format. Call me over to see the list once completed, then post. We will share sources today.

Homework for Nov. 27: Complete the book Persepolis and bring in three essay questions. Use the three-part thesis format (handout).

Happy Holidays!

Poetry Unit Continued

Today we shared poetry which spoke to various elements identified in Writing about Literature. Each students shared a poem or two or three. Most used other sources, although John took his from Indivisible. The comments on were insightful as we listened or read aloud.

I shared poetry from Indivisible as well, a few poets whose work I like, such as M. Hajratwala's Angerfish (46-50); and his Miss Indo-American dreams (51); Generica (52) and America (52-53); Chitra B.D.'s Yuba City School (54-56; Indian Movie, New Jersey; Sejal Shah's Everybody's Greatest Hits (62-63); Independence, Iowa (64-65); Maya Khosla's Oppenheimer quotes The Bhagavad Gita is also great (16-17). I like all her work. Tanuja Mehotra's Song for New Orleans is interesting (25-29); Sasha Kamini Parmasad's Burning (91-92); Ro Gunetilleke's Spirited Away (100-101); Amitava Kumar's Mistaken Identity (102-105) and Against Nostalgia (106-110); Sachin B. Patel's In the Business of Erasing History (111-112); and his The Blacktop Gospels (112-116); Busra Rehman's At the Museum of Natural History (118-119) and The Difference (119); Shailja Patel's Shilling Love (120-124); and his Love Poem for London (128); Sudeep Sen's Jacket on a Chair (131-132); Aimee's Fishbone (134-135).

I stop at Faisal Mohyddin.

Bring your book Indivisible to class on Thursday. Also bring Persepolis.

Poetry Circle Today postponed

We will have our poetry circle next week, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. Bring your poem(s) in to share that illustrate the concepts mentioned in Writing about Literature: Speaker, Listener, Sound and Sense, Form, etc.

Develop an activity based on one (1) of the elements you can share with the class. It can be a quiz or a writing exercise. Be creative. Keep the activity short (5-10 min.). You will give me a copy of your presentation.

Indivisible is a resource you can use for examples, if you like.

For the activities, make enough copies for everyone.

Watch the film: Persepolis. It is in the Oakland Public Library (multiple branches).

Work on your independent project.


Don't forget to VOTE!