Recap October 2

On October 2, the class began with students breaking into discussion groups where they reviewed Chapters 1-2, 3-4, 4,5,6. We then as a class reviewed together important themes in the various chapters. We also reviewed how to write a log.

We referred to the song Holler if You Hear Me, which we'd listened to last week. We also read "Only for the Righteous" from The Rose that Grew from Concrete .

As a class we practiced developing a thesis using the song and poem as our topic. The homework was to develop your own essay incorporating 2. direct quotes, 1 paraphrase, and 1 block quote. Students were to cite from Dyson, Rose and his song, Holla.

The following are notes:
Only for the Righteous addresses a specific audience --this style of writing is consistence with Tupac's way of thinking. Take for instance in the song: Holla if Ya Hear Me he says:

"Tell my young black men, blaze up
Life's a mess don't stress, test
I'm givin but be thankful that you're livin, blessed
Much love to my brothers in the pen
See ya when I free ya if not when they shove me in" (Verse One).

Notice how he speaks to you black men, ones who share similar experiences, Tupac includes himself.

He is concerned about his community, men and women. He is concerned about the young girls like "Brenda" who think they have no options. A child with an addicted mother too, Tupac inserts himself into the unfolding drama and gives the 12 year old advice:

"Now Brenda never really knew her moms and her dad was a junky
Went inot debt to his arms, it's sad
Cause Brenda I bet Brenda doesn't even know
Just cause your in tha ghetto don't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist tha temptation" (1st stanza)