Thursday, February 28, 2013
Fun Links This Week...
Find a good movie version of "The Worn Path" here. And an interview with Welty here.
Trailer for a different kind of show based on "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" here.
Excerpt from a 1949 movie version of "The Rocking Horse Winner" here.
Audio and lyrics to the song "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by Bob Dylan, which was the motivation for the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" here.
The Pied Piper of Tucson was also said to be an influence for the Oates story. Read about him here.
Literary Criticism Project
There are many types of literary criticism, and your text does a good job of outlining each of those types and providing practical examples of how to apply them. Please read the section beginning on page 1129 in your text. The text discusses Deconstruction, Ethical, Feminist, Formalist, Marxist, New Historical, Postcolonial, Psychoanalytic, and Reader Response Criticism. I've provided one other form of criticism below.
There are many types of literary criticism, and your text does a good job of outlining each of those types and providing practical examples of how to apply them. Please read the section beginning on page 1129 in your text. The text discusses Deconstruction, Ethical, Feminist, Formalist, Marxist, New Historical, Postcolonial, Psychoanalytic, and Reader Response Criticism. I've provided one other form of criticism below.
Genetic or biographical criticism: author as context
The task of the genetic critic is to understand the mind of the author in order to better interpret the creations of that mind. An author cannot tell you what a piece means because 1) he or she would have to talk about what he/she meant at some particular point in the past and 2) we probably don't want to limit meaning to conscious intention. However, a mind has caused the poem to exist, and understanding that mind might help us understand the poem.
Keep in mind that this form of criticism, while helpful, can also be reductive. In other words, we might have a tendency to over-simplify a piece--we might not consider alternative meanings because we know what the author "was thinking when he wrote it." By reducing the poem to the author's intent, we might lose something.
Considering the author's life and attitude at the particular time may be helpful, however. For example, it is helpful to know that Charlotte Perkins Gilman suffered from post-partum depression. That might give us an avenue, a starting point, as we approach "The Yellow Wallpaper."
The task of the genetic critic is to understand the mind of the author in order to better interpret the creations of that mind. An author cannot tell you what a piece means because 1) he or she would have to talk about what he/she meant at some particular point in the past and 2) we probably don't want to limit meaning to conscious intention. However, a mind has caused the poem to exist, and understanding that mind might help us understand the poem.
Keep in mind that this form of criticism, while helpful, can also be reductive. In other words, we might have a tendency to over-simplify a piece--we might not consider alternative meanings because we know what the author "was thinking when he wrote it." By reducing the poem to the author's intent, we might lose something.
Considering the author's life and attitude at the particular time may be helpful, however. For example, it is helpful to know that Charlotte Perkins Gilman suffered from post-partum depression. That might give us an avenue, a starting point, as we approach "The Yellow Wallpaper."
Task:
Choose one short story to be the focus of your analysis. It must be something we have read together as a class. Next, create one paper which examines 3 of the critical approaches as they apply to that one piece of literature. Your paper can be a series of paragraphs with sub-headings which tell the type of criticism. It does not have to be a traditional paper with an introduction/body/conclusion.
Choose one short story to be the focus of your analysis. It must be something we have read together as a class. Next, create one paper which examines 3 of the critical approaches as they apply to that one piece of literature. Your paper can be a series of paragraphs with sub-headings which tell the type of criticism. It does not have to be a traditional paper with an introduction/body/conclusion.
Support your ideas with quotes and examples from the short
story. Some criticisms work better with
some pieces of literature; be conscious of that and utilize the criticisms that
best help you analyze the story.
Length:
About 3 pages.
About 3 pages.
Due dates:
Draft: 3/5 Final: 3/7
Draft: 3/5 Final: 3/7
Evaluation:
1. Content. Does the paper thoroughly analyze the story using three different types of criticism? Were these choices of criticism the best tools for understanding the story? Does the writer support his/her ideas with quotes and examples from the story?
2. Style. Does the writer explain his ideas and interpretations clearly and succinctly?
3. Grammar and mechanics. Is the paper free of technical errors?
1. Content. Does the paper thoroughly analyze the story using three different types of criticism? Were these choices of criticism the best tools for understanding the story? Does the writer support his/her ideas with quotes and examples from the story?
2. Style. Does the writer explain his ideas and interpretations clearly and succinctly?
3. Grammar and mechanics. Is the paper free of technical errors?
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"
1. What is the difference between the two waiters?
2. Why is the setting important here?
3. Is the age of the staff important? Why?
4. What is the role of religion in this story?
2. Why is the setting important here?
3. Is the age of the staff important? Why?
4. What is the role of religion in this story?
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Group Lead Discussion
Group Lead #1
1. Get together and discuss the story. This can be an informal discussion, something similar to what we do in class where you talk about what different parts of the story mean, why you liked or disliked it, and how the strategies that we have discussed in class show up in the story.
2. Create a list of questions for discussion. You can look on the internet to get started, but I urge you to keep these questions simple and to the point.
3. Look for supplementary material that will help us understand the reading better. This can be a video, diagram, photographs…anything you feel is interesting and relevant to the story or poem.
4. Present your discussion and information in class. It should take approximately 30 minutes. Do the following 3 things:
Begin with a list of questions and allow the student groups to discuss the questions.
Lead the student discussion after approximately 10 minutes of group work.
Provide additional information and discussion of that information to the class.
Grading:
You will be graded on the following:
1. How well prepared you are.
2. How well you engage your classmates.
3. The quality of your questions and supplementary material.
4. How well every member of your group participates. Every member of your group gets the same grade, so it is important to divide the work evenly and get everyone to talk and contribute.( If you have attempted to engage your groupmates, and you have someone who does not contribute or make an effort, let me know, and everyone will not receive the same grade.)
Group 1 (Becca, Kawena, Tariq, Steven)—“Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter”
Group 2 (Yngwie, Kayloni, Tanis, Travis)—“The Yellow Wallpaper”
Group 3 (Nicole, Zack, Taylor, Kale)— “The Cask of Amontillado”
Group 4 (Mackenzie, Cayla, Chris, Kaytlin, Presco)— “The Lottery”
Group 5 (Manuel, Lilly, Alex, Sydnee)— “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
Group 6 (Brody, Jessica, Kaley, Jamie)— “The Rocking Horse Winner”
Group 7 (Bridger, Kim, Katie, Catherine)—“The Lesson”
1. Get together and discuss the story. This can be an informal discussion, something similar to what we do in class where you talk about what different parts of the story mean, why you liked or disliked it, and how the strategies that we have discussed in class show up in the story.
2. Create a list of questions for discussion. You can look on the internet to get started, but I urge you to keep these questions simple and to the point.
3. Look for supplementary material that will help us understand the reading better. This can be a video, diagram, photographs…anything you feel is interesting and relevant to the story or poem.
4. Present your discussion and information in class. It should take approximately 30 minutes. Do the following 3 things:
Begin with a list of questions and allow the student groups to discuss the questions.
Lead the student discussion after approximately 10 minutes of group work.
Provide additional information and discussion of that information to the class.
Grading:
You will be graded on the following:
1. How well prepared you are.
2. How well you engage your classmates.
3. The quality of your questions and supplementary material.
4. How well every member of your group participates. Every member of your group gets the same grade, so it is important to divide the work evenly and get everyone to talk and contribute.( If you have attempted to engage your groupmates, and you have someone who does not contribute or make an effort, let me know, and everyone will not receive the same grade.)
Group 1 (Becca, Kawena, Tariq, Steven)—“Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter”
Group 2 (Yngwie, Kayloni, Tanis, Travis)—“The Yellow Wallpaper”
Group 3 (Nicole, Zack, Taylor, Kale)— “The Cask of Amontillado”
Group 4 (Mackenzie, Cayla, Chris, Kaytlin, Presco)— “The Lottery”
Group 5 (Manuel, Lilly, Alex, Sydnee)— “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
Group 6 (Brody, Jessica, Kaley, Jamie)— “The Rocking Horse Winner”
Group 7 (Bridger, Kim, Katie, Catherine)—“The Lesson”
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
"The Swing"
http://events.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/books/chapters/26-1stgavel.html
This short story is part of a collection called I Cannot Tell a Lie, Exactly. Don't be fooled by the title; this IS the correct story.
"The Story of an Hour"
http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/
http://events.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/books/chapters/26-1stgavel.html
This short story is part of a collection called I Cannot Tell a Lie, Exactly. Don't be fooled by the title; this IS the correct story.
"The Story of an Hour"
http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/
More on Amy Tan
Amy Tan's website:
http://www.amytanauthor.com/THE_OFFICIAL_WEBSITE_of_AMY_TAN/Welcome.html
Amy Tan interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D0pwe4vaQo
The Joy Luck Club trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_axV-_Wz7L0
The movie is available in parts on YouTube and also on Neflix.
http://www.amytanauthor.com/THE_OFFICIAL_WEBSITE_of_AMY_TAN/Welcome.html
Amy Tan interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D0pwe4vaQo
The Joy Luck Club trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_axV-_Wz7L0
The movie is available in parts on YouTube and also on Neflix.
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