Parting thoughts, instructions

By on December 3, 2015 in Uncategorized

Nice work on the presentations (and rolling with the technology problems) in class today, all!

Remember, class is not meeting next week–however, I will be here for individual appointments and instruction. Send me an email to schedule a time.

If you don’t want to come talk to me in person, I am also available anytime for electronic communication, and I will be holding virtual office hours on Monday, December 7, from noon until 3:00. If you email me during that time, you will get a response within a half hour, and you will have to option of talking to me using G-chat. Skype is also an option–let me know if you’re interested!

I will look at drafts, Works Cited pages, and answer questions about sources. (If you send me a draft, have a specific idea of what you want me to comment on–I’m not going to pre-grade your work but I will happily offer some global comments and feedback.)

Check Compass on Friday, December 4 at the end of the day for updated grades.

Remember: extra credit is available, and due on December 10 along with the paper. Use the “Extra Credit” category link to the right to access the posts that give instructions for them.

When you’re ready to send your final paper, you can email it to me as a Word or PDF attachment. In your email, include the responses to our usual questions:

What are you most proud of in this paper?

What was the hardest part?

What would you do differently if you had another week?

 

Thanks for a great semester, you guys!

Comments are closed

Tuesday’s Class

By on November 30, 2015 in Uncategorized

Welcome to the last week of class!

For Tuesday, we’re reading Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies.” You’ll need to have this read, and a reading journal entered.

Reading journals are due Tuesday.

There is no reading for Thursday–just group presentations. You will have time to meet with your groups at Tuesday’s class.

I have to cancel my office hours for tomorrow, but I’m happy to hold another special edition on Wednesday if people need to come talk to me–just let me know!

Comments are closed

Special Session of Office Hours TODAY

By on November 18, 2015 in Uncategorized

Just a reminder that I’m holding office hours from 2 until 4 pm this afternoon in my office. No need to email ahead; just drop by.

Comments are closed

Discussion Questions for The Dead

By on November 11, 2015 in Uncategorized

Why does Miss Ivors accuse Gabriel of being a West Briton for writing a literary column in The Daily Express? page 738

Why did Gabriel have so much confidence about his speech then immediately regretted writing it? Does this say something about him? page …4

Why was Gabriel so affected by Gabriel’s confession about the song? page 757

What significance does the snow falling all over Ireland, on both the “living and dead” have, especially in relation to the political climate? last page

Why was there so much emphasis on the party when it seems like the party isn’t a main point/theme? all pages NO! second paragraph of the story. Three items: Party=Dublin; Repetition=constant present; Bourgeoisie

Comments are closed

Class for Thursday, November 12 Location

By on November 11, 2015 in Schedule changes

Class tomorrow will NOT be in room 29. Instead, go to the Undergraduate Library Media Commons, at 250 Undergraduate Library.

We will be in Media Commons Presentation Area 2. If you can’t find it, ask a librarian to direct you!

We will finish our discussion of “The Dead” and discuss citation and library database research.

Comments are closed

Online Discussion for Thursday, November 5

By on November 5, 2015 in Class recaps, Reading assignments

Because few people seemed to have watched the video assigned for today, our class discussion fell flat, so we’re moving it online. Watch the video here, and read the story in the Lawn anthology.

In order to get credit for being present today, you need to do two things:

  1. Post a comment below that addresses both Adichie’s TED Talk and Ha Jin’s “Saboteur.” You can address them both together in one comment, or separately in two separate comments, but you must address both.
  2. Post a reply to at least two other classmates’ comments.

This needs to be done by our next class meeting on Tuesday. Note: if you were absent from class today, you can still get credit for being there if you participate in this online discussion. However, you will need to find a way to obtain a copy of the reading.

 

Below are some discussion questions, generated by the discussion groups, to get us started.

What’s the significance of Fenjin describing Mr. Chiu as an “ugly man”?

What kind of stereotypes in “Saboteur” do we think confirm Adichie’s theory of the “single story”? Would the Chinese agree? (<–this question is a good start, but I want to rephrase it slightly: how does “Saboteur” confirm or disrupt the notion of a “single story” of Ha Jin’s setting? That way we don’t accidentally start presumptuously speculating on the thoughts of a specific group of people in ways that are impossible to confirm.)

What was the significance of Chiu not missing or loving his wife?

Why does it matter that Chiu was a Communist Party member?

Why was Chiu so stressed about his honeymoon? Should he have been stress-free? (I will add an addendum to this question–what “single story” does the assumption that Chiu should feel a certain way on his honeymoon come from?)

What was Chiu’s goal in spreading his disease Why did he choose that route in possible revenge?

 

Note: when you leave a comment, be sure to sign it so I know who you are. First names only are fine (except for the Kevins–you guys should also add “McD” or “McG”). If you would prefer not to sign your comment with your actual name, shoot me an email and let me know what pseudonym you’re using instead.

Happy commenting.

 

Comments { 52 }

Thursday, November 5–Supplement to the Reading!

By on November 3, 2015 in Reading assignments

In addition to reading “Saboteur,” by Ha Jin, for Thursday (from the Lawn anthology), you should also watch this TED Talk about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The Danger of the Single Story.”

Adichie is herself a novelist and short story writer. We will read her story, “Birdsong,” later in the semester.

Your reading journals are open format again today–do whatever you want, as long as it shows roughly 250 words worth of thinking; it can also focus on either the story, or the video, or both.

 

 

A final note: the Compass solution is still pending. I will post when I have an update!

 

<Editor’s Update– Compass should be up and running now; check it out, and if it isn’t, let me know.>

Comments are closed

Reminder–extra credit opportunity

By on November 3, 2015 in Extra credit

This is just a reminder that, in addition to the options given in this post, you may also write a 2-page summary and response of our guest lecturer’s talk on Yokohama, California.

For your accurate spelling purposes: our guest lecturer’s name was S. Moon Cassinelli.

This is worth an additional 5 points (a potential 1% increase in your grade) and can be turned in anytime before the end of the semester.

Comments are closed

Recap of “Bartleby, the Scrivener”

By on November 3, 2015 in Class recaps

Class-generated discussion questions for Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener”:

Why are people so easy on Bartleby? Narrator didn’t want to fire him and no one wants to make him do anything.

Was Bartleby’s refusal to work voluntary of involuntary? Was he trying to make a statement?

What is the significance of the “dead letter” office?

Did Bartleby’s previous job traumatize him so much had a PTSD-like experience at his new job?

What is Bartleby’s goal/plan–it seems like he’s waiting for something?

Comments are closed

Schedule Change for Thursday, October 22–Writing workshop!

By on October 20, 2015 in Schedule changes

This is just a reminder that we are tabling our reading of FIRE!! until further notice.

 

Instead, come to class with one page of writing for your close reading assignment–a minimum of 250 words. It would be best, and probably most useful to you, if the writing is an introduction; even if that’s not normally how you write, it’s worth pushing yourself to articulate your argument earlier in the process sometimes. But any one-page writing sample will do, since everything in your paper will need to work toward an argument.

 

Come with your one page of writing and be prepared to share it with others in your discussion group, roundtable fashion.

Comments are closed