Portfolio Submission Link?

Where are we submitting our portfolios to? Is there going to be a link in the submit essays tab like we've been doing all along? I really need the link to be up by tomorrow. If it is not up by tomorrow, I am afraid I will just have to email it. I know that's probably not what she wanted but I don't have time to wait for the link to finally be put up. I have other obligations as well and this class was originally supposed to end on the 16th.

Handout?

I'm not finding the handout Amy mentioned on Wednesday. I've looked on every tab in the course shell. Is there something I'm missing, or is it not up yet?

Thanks!

Soo..

Are we just supposed to be revising our papers from here till the end of the class? According to the syllabus, there are a lot of things we haven't gotten to, but I'm not always the best syllabus reader. Anyone have suggestions or input? Anyone heard from Amy recently?

Thanks guys :)

I am not done yet!

It has been a very difficult few weeks for me. I was diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) and then was told not to do house chores for a week. But being a single mom of three it is quite hard to put everything in one plate. The girls helped me as much as they can with the chores even if they also have to do their own assignments. On top of this, we had to move out the house. We had Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant, and took that day off for once. Then Friday, I had to continue packing and then hauled the huge furnitures out first. Saturday, we continue to put everything in boxes, (about 30 boxes all together) and other fixtures and smaller furnitures out. I am just exhausted as it is while trying to balance this part and family and school. I really have pulled my hair out (almost bald).

Anyway, I am still in the early stages of my research. I am stuck with Things Fall Apart. I did not have time to read the other choice, Cry, the Beloved Country at all. I thought of reading both so I could make the right choice. But, I did not have that luxury at all. Therefore, I do not have enough pages for my draft. It is really too stressful but being in the health situation I am right now, I really am trying so hard not to sweat the small stuff and some bigger ones or else, I would really be in deep trouble.

By what i have seen in here, you guys are doing so well. That is really great. I like some of the books you have picked since I have read them myself. Okay, good luck and wow, semester is almost over. It seems just like yesterday. Bye.

Research Blog 2

So far, I've found plenty of sources about Catcher in the Rye. The only issue is trying to find sources dealing with Holden's psychology. Currently, I have a few. I like where my research is going, I just hope that I can write a sufficient paper. Most of my research is coming from articles on Ebscohost. That seems the best place to find legit articles and research sources. I found one article entitled "Holden Caufield: Self Appointed Catcher in the Rye" that I think I will draw a lot of quotations and information from. I really don't have any questions!

:D I really am enjoying this assignment. Catcher in the Rye is such a deep book, it's really fun to try and dig at it's core.

Research Blog 2

My research paper is on The Great Gatsby and I chose the psychoanalytic lens to use. I have attempted to find sources online and at the local library. I really have not had much luck though. I need to find more sources, and I was hoping to receive both ancillary 3 and 4 with your opinions and tips, but I have yet to receive them. I have found one woman that has a book on all the literary theories, and she has used each theory on the book. I assume we need more than one really good source though. I going to try and go to Menifee sometime this week after work and hopefully find something at the campus library.

Research Blog - Tearing my hair out!

I wasn't finding enough of the specific sources I'd need with the original theory/text I chose, so on Thursday, I switched both my lens and my novel. I'm not sure how smart of an idea that was, but I did it and I'm going for it. I ended up going with Stranger in a Strange Land and feminism for my lens. I was initially kind of overwhelmed with all of the avenues I could go down with my research, but I narrowed my source scope down once I decided on a thesis cloud. I've decided to write my paper from a point of view that examines the novel in the context of feminism as it existed in Heinlein's day and in today's feminist context. I'm also going to throw in some of the context of the libertarianism that is prevalent in most science fiction. There are unsurprisingly tons of sources regarding Heinlein and his views on politics and feminism. For his time, he was considered extremely liberal and in some camps, a radical. I've pulled a lot of research from the school databases and I'm also using the internet pretty heavily. I've found several newspaper articles and essays written on Heinlein and his canon of novels, which gives me a good base to explain my position. The sources on feminism are also coming easily as I'm looking mostly for basic history of the movement that explains each of the 'waves' in their historical context. The only real problem I'm having is finding criticism of the actual novel. I found a book written directly as criticism of Stranger, but its out of print and going for $80 on eBay. I don't think I'm willing to go that far for this paper, but my backup plan is to co-opt criticism of Heinlein in general and use excerpts that talk specifically about the the novel I'm writing about. I'm also using one or two other Heinlein novels as additional sources to augment my argument about Heinlein's viewpoints as they are espoused in Stranger. So far, I'm doing all right. I might add or subtract some sources as I refine my thesis and overall paper, but I'm feeling relatively confident.


OH WAIT! My ex-boyfriend and I are very good friends with a couple who owns a used bookstore in the valley and he called them just now. Turns out they have a copy of the EXACT book I'm looking for that deals with criticism of the novel. I can borrow it from them and I am totally set now. Thaaaat's amazing.

Research Blog 2 Reed Steiner

I am doing my research paper on the poetry of Langston Hughes, "Weary Blues" and "Dream Boogie" using a African-American or Black literary criticisms. As far as my source go I hit all the requirements plus I have a few extra. I was kind of surprised by myself because I found that used the library more than the internet. I used to work at a library in Lake Elsinore so I'm pretty good at finding what I need. I found things from the Riverside County Library system, the library at MSJC, the library at RCC (I'm a student there too), and I ordered a few things using inter-library loans (which only cost a dollar per book and you can even get books from overseas). I actually went a little overboard and ordered too many books and had extra. I guess the biggest challenge for me was not finding the resources, but narrowing it down. I am actually enjoying this writing this paper quite a bit and am excited to finish it.

Regarding the rough draft of the research paper..

Does this have to meet the length requirements of the final draft? The way I read the syllabus, a rough draft that doesn't meet the length requirement won't be eligible for submission in the portfolio. Can anyone clarify the length/source requirement for this draft?

Thanks!

Research Blog #2

The Question: This one is fairly open-ended. Discuss the research you have done thus far and what you think you might still need. From where are you pulling research? What have you found that seems particularly useful? Do you have any questions about your research?
(This blog isn't due until the research draft is due; there isn't any reason for you to rush on this one.)

This really has been a fun research project for me so far because I have found so many interesting and juicy pieces for my paper. I love it! I have titled my research paper, “Marxism Weaved into Pride and Prejudice,” and I feel that this title is appropriate as it gives the readers a sneak preview of things to come in my paper. As you could have guessed from the title, I am writing about Jane Austen’s lovely, romantic novel, Pride and Prejudice. It is one of my favorite love novels of all time because at first, the main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, abhor each other and cannot stand to be within a foot of one another. However, by the novel’s end, they find it is their differences that have made them fall passionately in love with each other, and they live “happily ever after.” It is a wonderful love story, and what makes it a true classic is that it continues to captivate millions of readers years after its publication. To me, that is what makes an everlasting, solid story! Do you not agree? :-)
As far as my research goes for this particular paper, I am pretty much finished in that aspect. If only my paper was completed! :-) (However, it is getting there – I only have a couple more paragraphs to go, and I am happy with what I have thus far.) When I was doing my research, I searched in a variety of places. I searched for a while in MSJC’s online academic databases (EBSCO, ProQuest, and NetLibrary), I read a few of the articles that Professor Bolaski posted under “Course Materials” for literary theory (I found those to be helpful when I could not locate anything on my own), and then I checked out a couple of excellent books from the library that were perfect for my paper. I actually got two of my sources from our class module (two sources dealing with Marxism). They are excellent and just what I needed for my paper (plus, I could not get any other good sources on Marxism on the academic database). I also used our textbook as another source: in the back of our textbook, it discusses the different schools of literary criticism, and Marxism was one of the schools that were included in the group. It contained an excellent definition of Marxism, so I used that as a source as well. Another source that I found that was extremely helpful to me is an e-book that I found through the MSJC online library, NetLibrary. The e-book is entitled, “Understanding Pride and Prejudice: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents”, written by Debra Teachman. It is one of my favorite sources for this paper, and I could not believe that I found it! The last item that I am using for my research paper is an actual book that I checked out from the MSJC Menifee Valley Campus library. The book is entitled, “Twentieth Century Interpretations of Pride and Prejudice,” and it is edited by E. Rubinstein. It is actually a collection of critical essays that deals with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is a great resource. :-) Overall, it took me about a good two weeks to gather my research for this paper, and to sort through pieces of research that I collected and make a list of things that I wanted to use and things that I did not want to use. When I narrowed down my list, these items made it to my grand, final list. And, come to find out, they are working so far. I believe there are two difficult aspects of a good research paper – that is, gathering the research to the paper, and then actually putting the paper together. So far, I have completed the first difficult task: completing the research. Now, all I have to do is complete the paper to my expectations. :-)
There are a couple of sources that I have found to be particularly useful. The first source is the e-book, “Understanding Pride and Prejudice: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents”, written by Debra Teachman. This is a wonderful resource because it helps students to understand the basic history behind the novel. Pride and Prejudice can be a difficult novel to understand, especially if it is the first time that someone has been exposed to it. And, if students do not understand the customs and laws surrounding women, marriage, and inheritance during the 1800s, then it will be extremely difficult to follow the storyline. However, Debra Teachman offers a wonderful companion to Pride and Prejudice by explaining the detail-by-detail laws and customs that were a part of everyday life in the 1800s. This additional understanding to the novel truly helps the student understand the plight the Bennet family is in with their daughters’ futures, and why. I found this e-book to be a perfect, wonderful resource for my research paper. Another excellent resource that I found for my research paper is the book that I found from the library entitled, “Twentieth Century Interpretations of Pride and Prejudice,” and it is edited by E. Rubinstein. This is another great resource because it is a collection of critical essays based on the novel, Pride and Prejudice. I have looked through a few of the essays in the book, and they are all wonderful; however, because of this, I have not been able to choose one as of yet for my paper. I am still working on that. But, this is another great companion to Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, and another resource that I found particularly useful to my paper.
All of the resources that I found for my paper I found very useful and helpful and was also amazed how easily I could incorporate them into my research paper. That is what I loved the most about my sources! I hate finding sources that look good, and that I know would be beneficial to my paper, but unsure as to how to incorporate them in my paper. However, this was not the case with the sources that I found for this research paper. I made a rough outline of the rough draft of my research paper, and most of these sources fit perfectly in my paper. However, I do have one question about my research. In the prompt of the essay, it says that we have to use some type of criticism in our essay on our chosen text. I found a collection of critical essays on Pride and Prejudice in the library book that I found. The question that I have is how should I apply this criticism to my paper? I am a little bit confused on how we are supposed to do this. Other than that, I get the general idea of what we need to do for our writing assignment.
Searching for our research materials has been a fun and enlightening experience. It has shown me that in order to write a really good research paper, one needs to spend a good deal of time doing the research for the paper! However, if a person invests the proper amount of time into the project, they will reap what they sow: a research paper they will be proud of. :-)

Why Hughes?

Why Langston Hughes – in my humble opinion—seeks to redefines history:

I chose Langston Hughes two poems, “Let America be America Again”, and “Open Letter to the South” for several reasons. One reason was that I was not really sure how much latitude we were going to be given for the research paper and wanted to make sure that it would fall under the “approved” category. Another reason is that I have not yet written about poetry and view this as a challenge to myself and my own analytical skills – hopefully this won’t bite me!!! Another reason I chose these works, and perhaps a reason that I came to after thinking about this assignment more thoroughly, is that I truly do believe that there is a parallel history that has yet to be written in America. This parallel history is one that deals with the races, other than white, who were a large part of the formation of this country, but who are largely ignored in the majority of textbooks and history books that we have today. Because we are only a century from this era of ignorance and racism, I honestly believe that it is up to the writers and historians of this day to reclaim, redefine, and rewrite the fractured history of America. In addition to this igniting of the past, I believe that post colonial theory is quite relevant to this time of literature in America. It is only further explored by the writings of Langston Hughes and especially his early radical poetry which is part of both of these poems. Hughes is unique in that he spoke out and wrote true to his race and class at the time regardless of the consequences. I guess that a history that was so integral a part of who we are as a nation today is a fact that I am not willing to overlook and hope to be a part of redefining it into the future.

This one may be the easiest yet. :) I'd like to hear about the text you have chosen for your project. I'm actually asking you for summary here -- imagine that! What drew you initially? Did anything we read this semester spark an interest or lead you to your choice? Do you think you would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class rather than the beginning?


For my research paper, I chose The Catcher in the Rye. I chose this because everyone can relate to Holden Caulfield. But the question is...why? What drew me initially is Holden, himself. The whole story is character driven, and while there is some plot, the plot is the character, and his descent into a breakdown. This is why I want to research him.

Research Blog 2!!!

1) This one may be the easiest yet. :) I'd like to hear about the text you have chosen for your project. I'm actually asking you for summary here -- imagine that! What drew you initially? Did anything we read this semester spark an interest or lead you to your choice? Do you think you would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class rather than the end?

I chose to do Emma by Jane Austen. The story, in a nutshell, is about a young woman of a wealthy disposition who plays matchmaker. As her matches fall apart, she begins to see that somethings need to be left to fate. Through the help of caring family and friends, notably a family friend, she sets things right between lovers and friends, and ultimately finds that she can find love for herself without subjecting to the restrictive boundaries of marriage during that time. Honestly, my initial thought to do an Austen novel seemed cliche at first. Not to say that I don't find her novels fascinating, but I had seen an overwhelming interest in her works in an overcommercialized way. Nonetheless, I enjoy her novels, which is probably why she has become such an iconic author. I reread Emma just recently (I read it back in high school) and one of my favorite 90's movies is Clueless (go figure :) ). The pieces we read during the semester did have an indirect influence on my pick, mostly the stories and poems on romantic love. All in all, my choice was due to the fact that we had the ability to chose our novel. I think I would have picked Emma at any point during the semester. Austen depicts her characters as strong willed, passionate, and independent in their own right.

Extra Credit Blog #2 - Week of 11/15

1) This one may be the easiest yet. :) I'd like to hear about the text you have chosen for your project. I'm actually asking you for summary here -- imagine that! What drew you initially? Did anything we read this semester spark an interest or lead you to your choice? Do you think you would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class rather than the end?
Not only does this sound like the easiest blog yet, but one of the most fun blogs yet.  The romantic novel, Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen, is a beautiful love story about two people that are complete opposites of each other. Miss Elizabeth Bennett is a young, beautiful woman living in a family where her mother is downright determined to get her and her sisters married off to a wealthy, young man. Elizabeth is young and carefree, and full of opinions about life in general, and she is certain about one thing – she does not want to marry out of financial obligation. She wants to marry a man for the right reasons – she wants to be in love. Back in the 1800s, this was a nice idea, but not necessarily a requirement of marriage. Parents married off their daughters so their daughters would be financially secure. This was Mrs. Bennett goal in the novel, and she was very persistent throughout the entire story. Elizabeth never agreed, and even turned down her cousin’s offer of marriage because she did not love him. Elizabeth’s match in the novel is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a very proud, stubborn man that has a very hard time mingling with others that are not of the same “class” as he is. When Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth first met, he made a statement about Elizabeth that greatly offends her at the community ball. Mr. Darcy states to Mr. Bingley (his friend) when Mr. Bingley tries to get Mr. Darcy to dance with Elizabeth, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies that are slighted by other men” (Austen 8). Elizabeth overheard this very rude comment that Mr. Darcy made, and she immediately had an understandably disliking of him. Furthermore, as she interacted more and more with Mr. Darcy throughout the novel, her prejudices against him increased because of his hard exterior, his attitude, and the rumors that she heard about him. However, as they really got to know each other, they both realized that it was their strong, different personalities that made them unique, and that some of the opinions that they had of each other changed as they discovered each other’s true character. They then became attractive to each other, and fell in love. At the end of the novel, Elizabeth’s eldest sister, Jane has married Mr. Bingley (Jane married Bingley for love too!), and Elizabeth and Darcy are happily married. Darcy proved his love to Elizabeth in more ways than one throughout the course of the story, and Elizabeth realizes this at the novel’s conclusion. They are happily married, and living in Darcy’s mansion, Pemberley. This is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, and after I read it a second time, it seemed more magical than the first reading.
What initially drew to Pride and Prejudice for this project was the fact that we got to choose any piece of literature that I wanted for this project. I was so excited about that aspect of this research paper – the topic for my previous research papers were always chosen for me, and even though in some ways it made it easier to conduct the research, it was not exactly “fun.” When I read the prompt for our research project, and saw that we could choose any novel that we liked, I immediately thought of this old, romantic classic. I just love good, clean romance novels – they always leave me feeling so happy at the conclusion of the novel. Pride and Prejudice is no exception – in fact, it is my favorite romance novel because of the fact that it is so old, but has the power to still captivate people with its story of love even though we are not living in the 1800s. Furthermore, after having written a couple of essays in this critical thinking class, I feel that I am ready to analyze my favorite novel critically in a way that I have never done before and I am excited to do it. This is what initially drew me to my favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice – the fact that I was able to choose it, and because I am excited to critically analyze it.
Yes, one small thing that we read this semester did help to spark my interest again in Pride and Prejudice. It was actually when we were going to write through a literary lens for Oleanna, but we ended up not doing that. It was the small paragraphs at the back of our textbook about the different schools of literary criticism on pages 1600-1603. The one paragraph that particularly awoke my love of Pride and Prejudice and helped me to see it differently than before was the paragraph on “Marxist Criticism.” I thought this paragraph was very interesting – I never really understood what Marxist theory was, and how it applied to different things, but after reading that paragraph in our textbook, I have a renewed interest in the history behind Pride and Prejudice and applying Marxist criticism to Pride and Prejudice. The paragraph about Marxist Criticism was not very large; however, it was chalk full of information, and I found it very interesting – interesting enough to do a full research paper on! It is amazing how a short paragraph that I read earlier in the semester affected what I wanted to do for this research project. I am so excited to see the outcome of it!
Honestly, no, I do not think I would have chosen Pride and Prejudice at the beginning of the class. I have to say, this has been one of my favorite English classes I have ever taken because it really has helped me to dig deeper into the readers, and really learn to analyze things. This really has been an enriching experience for me. In English 101, I learned how to structurally write better, but in this English class, I learned to actually analytically write better. I love that! I love reading texts and viewing then critically viewing it. It is quite fascinating to me. Keeping this in mind, if I would have chosen to analyze this novel at the beginning of the class without first knowing how to analyze properly, I know that I would have failed this project. This project is the “grand product” taking everything that I learned how to do beginning from the beginning of the semester – if I just jumped into it at the beginning of the semester and was told “choose my favorite novel and write it through an appropriate critical lens,” I would have probably looked at that like it was some form of Greek – from another planet. I am still a little bit unsure as to how I am going to structure my essay, but I have a good idea as to how I am going to write it (after I learned everything these past few weeks). I would not be able to say that if I have never heard of literary criticism. I would want to analyze this novel to the extent that it deserves, and I feel fairly confident that I can do that now after getting my feet wet in our first few writing assignments. However, if this assignment was given to us at the beginning of the semester, I probably would have not chosen Pride and Prejudice. Even though it is my favorite novel, now that I know the extent of analyzing we do in this class, I probably would have chosen something a little bit less complex until I learned all of this. However, since this is not the beginning of class, and we are nearing its completion (I cannot believe it!), I feel that I can critically analyze Pride and Prejudice to the extent that it fully deserves.
Normally, I do not get too excited about research papers as they do require a lot of research (which is probably they are termed research papers!), but for this particular paper, I am excited about piecing it together as I get to write about my favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice. I have high expectations for myself – I want to see if I can critically analyze Pride and Prejudice properly using Marxism as the critical lens through which I view the text. I have never written a research paper like this before, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out! Good luck, everyone!

Week of 11/1 - LAST BLOG!! :-)

English 103

The LAST BLOG!

Hello Everyone,

I am sorry I am posting this so late. I got a little bit extra time due to my skin breakout, and with my illness going on. I finally got it done! (Sorry it took so long, Professor Bolaski, and thanks again for the extra time. :-) ). Enjoy everyone, and have a blessed week!

Sincerely,

Jillian

1) The poem seems to merely narrate a sequence of events, but is there an implicit argument here? Should the writer have been more explicit?
In the poem, “First They Came for the Jews,” written by Martin Niemoller, the poem seems to merely narrate a sequence of events, but there is an implicit argument embedded in the poem. The implicit argument that Niemoller sends to his readers is that in wartime, all people are subject to death and destruction and people should do something – anything – to stop it. If they do not, they are helping to kill the millions of innocent people just like the enemy is. Niemoller makes this evident throughout the poem when he discusses who the Nazis came for: “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1012). As the author demonstrates through these few, simple, but very powerful lines, he could have been the person that spoke out to help save some of these people. But, since he was not included in their particular “group” he did nothing to help. He was not interested – he may have felt a little bit of sympathy for the persecuted group, but not enough to actually help out. However, when he was the persecuted “group” he wanted someone to care and speak up for him, and help him out, but no one did: “Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1012). This poem may have been short, but it was very powerful due to the implicit argument that was contained within it. Niemoller wants his readers to know that it is wrong to be silent when mass murdering of millions of innocent people is going on, and that if there is anything that can be done on your end to help out – no matter how small – then you should attempt to do it. If the flood is not tamed and a dam is created to stop the destructive waters, then the waters will kill. Niemoller points out that the same thing goes for people – people can be highly destructive to each other, especially if hatred is involved. If other people do nothing to stop this utter destruction, then it can result in the death of millions of people. Niemoller points out that it is important for people to speak up for others, especially if they cannot speak up for themselves. Not only will this action save other peoples’ lives, but it could potentially save the speaker’s life as well.
No, Niemoller did not have to explicitly state his message in his poem. Almost all writers never “explicitly” state their central message or theme in their poems, novels, or short stories. Rather, they “implicitly” state their central message or theme to their readers – that is, it is a message that is evident by the reading and it not just outright stated at the end of the given selection. I would have to say, that would be a little be strange to read something, and then at the end of the reading, the author comes clean in a few paragraphs and states exactly what they wanted the readers to know about the central message or theme of the given selection. I have not come across anything like that as of yet. Therefore, I am glad that Niemoller kept the literary “tradition” going and did not just come out and state the given central message of his poem. I think that it is important to make the readers ponder a little bit about the selection they just read. It is not only good for a reader’s analytical and comprehension skills, but also to help them see that life does not just “explicitly” give out its answers to people’s questions; rather, life works more implicitly, like authors do. 
In the poem, “First They Came for the Jews,” written by Martin Niemoller, the author of the poem seems to narrate a sequence of events in poem; however, there is an important explicit argument embedded into it. Furthermore, Niemoller did not have to be more implicit in his argument as writers usually are not, and they like to leave readers pondering the important message of their pieces.

2) Are we made to feel sympathetic toward Mirabella? But not toward Jeanette? If so, what does that suggest about the author’s point of view regarding the education of the “girls raised by wolves?”
In the short story, “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” written by Karen Russell, the author writes an interesting piece about girls that are brought in to a Catholic school in order to be “reformed” from their wild ways. These girls were not orphans or outcasts in human society – they lived out in the wild, and lived liked wild animals. They acted like wild wolves, and did not know how to act like humans. Therefore, they were brought into this school to be taught how to act like their own species. All of the girls that were brought in adapted at different speeds, but they all eventually learned how to speak, eat, and dress properly like normal civilized girls –all except Mirabella. She did not want to adapt to the new ways of her new home – she fought against the system and wanted to just be herself. This happens quite a few times throughout the story, and the other girls start to treat her like an outsider. Because Russell creates these characters to act this way towards Mirabella, the readers cannot help but to feel sympathetic toward her because she is struggling, and because of her childlike innocence. The narrator of the story, Claudette, talks about when Sister Josephine paired her up with Mirabella to feed the ducks, and the disgust she felt at that moment when this happened to her: “It wasn’t fair. They knew Mirabella couldn’t make bread balls yet. She couldn’t even undo the twist tie of the bag. She was sure to eat the birds: Mirabella didn’t even try to curb her desire to kill things – and then who would get blamed for the dark spots of duck blood on our Peter Pan collars? Who would get penalized with negative Skill Points? Exactly” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1078). As can be seen from the excerpt from the story, Claudette, the narrator of the story, is thoroughly irritated at Mirabella because the ways she acts affects the entire group of girls. They all get punished for Mirabella’s irresponsible actions, and because of this, her own “family” has even thrown her out of the pack. Claudette further explains Mirabella’s refusal to become a “human” in this new environment, and how Mirabella continues to act like an animal: “She’d go bounding around, gleefully spraying on their gilded statue of St. Lucy, mad-scratching at the virulent fleas that survived all of their powders and baths. At Sister Maria’s tearful insistence, she’d stand upright for roll call, her knobby, oddly muscled legs quivering from the effort. Then she’d collapse right back to the ground with an ecstatic oomph! She was still loping around on all fours (which the nuns had taught us to see looked unnatural and ridiculous – we could barely believe it now, the shame of it, that we used to locomote like that!), her fists blue-white from the strain” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1077). Mirabella is the only one of the girls that refused to act like a civilized human girl – she did not seem to understand why she had to change her ways. The reader can see how the other girls could become irritated with Mirabella because her actions affected the entire group; however, it is very easy to feel sympathetic toward Mirabella as well. She became an outcast in this strange place – not because the Nuns made her one, but because her own “family,” the group of girls that she lived with all her life, made her one. They became disgusted with her, and did not want anything to do with her because she would act like a regular human. The reader cannot help but to be sympathetic towards Mirabella – she has become alone in a strange world and her only “relatives” have deserted her. It is quite sad, indeed, but I do believe that this was Russell’s intention when she was writing this short story. And, it was interesting to see how an author’s way of writing can affect their readers to this extent.
The readers of this particular short story were made to feel sympathetic towards Mirabella, but not towards Jeanette. Jeanette was the “alpha” male of the group, and she was also the smartest one. She was the first one to learn everything – from reading, dancing, and speaking – and impressed the Nuns at her rate of progress. The group of girls did hate Jeanette because of her progress, but they hated Mirabella more because she made them look bad and would get them in trouble if she was around them. As stated before, Jeanette was very intelligent and learned everything quickly: “Jeanette was the first among us to apologize; to drink apple juice out of a sippy cup; to quit eyeballing the cleric’s jugular in a disconcerting fashion. She curled her lips back into a cousin of a smile as the traveling barber cut her pelt into bangs” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1077). The entire pack of girls knew that Jeanette was the most successful of the bunch – as Claudette stated in the story, they hated her for her high intelligence, but they did not hate her so much that they made her an outcast of the group. Even though the group of girls hated that Jeanette was intelligent, they all knew that her intelligence made them look good. It was for this reason that they still included her in everything they did, and why the reader does not feel as sympathetic towards Jeanette as we do for Mirabella. Again, it is interesting to analyze the effect that Russell’s particular way of writing has on her readers.
Because readers are made to feel sympathetic towards Mirabella and not Jeanette, this suggests that the author’s point of view regarding the education of the “girls raised by wolves,” is one of split opinion. Russell is showing how the education of these girls is tough, and what it can do to them. If they do not learn to become “civilized,” and if they get punished for not acting like humans, then these girls will start to turn on each other. They want to please their elders, but they know they cannot do this if there are members of their pack that are hindering their progress. However, on the other hand, Russell shows how educating these girls who have lived all of their lives in the wild are a good thing as well. If they learn to act like their own species, then they can live in a human society and have a chance at a better future than what they had before, living like a wild animal – naked and trying to find food. After reading this story, it was easy to decipher that the author had this split point of view about educating girls raised by wolves. It is not a subject that has the perfect answer to, and it could cause a lot of controversy as people could have a variety of opinions on the matter. As can be seen from the story, author had two different points of views, as shown through Mirabella and Jeanette.
In the short story, “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” the readers of Karen Russell’s story are made to feel sympathetic towards Mirabella, but not Jeanette, and because of this, it clearly shows that the author had two different opinions regarding the education of the “girls raised by wolves.”

Extra Credit Blog week 10

For my research paper I have chosen to write about The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. I chose it because of the obvious theme of materialism throughout the story and the negative impacts as a result of that materialism. This book has been called one of the best examples of The American Dream gone wrong. I wanted to explore why that dream went wrong in the book and why the author chose to write it that way. It is not the typical happy ending type of story and that has been one of the characteristics about it that has drawn people to study it over the years. I’m going to assume the question is “Would I have chosen this book at the beginning of the class rather than at the end?”. I would rather do it at the end now that we have studied these types of materials and have more knowledge about the subject.

Blog #10 - Extra Credit

This one may be the easiest yet. :) I'd like to hear about the text you have chosen for your project. I'm actually asking you for summary here -- imagine that! What drew you initially? Did anything we read this semester spark an interest or lead you to your choice? Do you think you would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class rather than the beginning?

The text I chose is The Great Gatsby. There were some texts that we read during this class that caught my interest especially since I had read some in my literature class last Spring semester. I thought that if I had to write an actual research paper that has to be six to seven pages, I wanted to use either a short story or novel to work with. I was first introduced to this book in my junior year of high school. We had to write an essay on it from only reading one chapter assigned to us. I took the initiative to actually read the entire book since that one chapter intrigued me, and my teacher told me it was one of my best essays.

The Great Gatsby is centered on the narration of Nick Carraway on his move to New York and the people he comes to meet. He moves to West Egg where he meets Jay Gatsby. While Nick's cousin Daisy Buchanan lives in East Egg with her husband Tom. Through the story, it becomes known that Gatsby and Daisy were in love once before, and Gatsby wants her back. Tom has affairs that Daisy is aware of, and one of his mistresses we meet in the story is Myrtle Wilson. The book ends with Daisy accidentally hitting and killing Myrtle with the car she is driving. Myrtle's husbands places the blame on Gatsby and eventually shoots him.

Everyone in the story is corrupt in some way. Most of them only care about their wealth, or are thinking back into the past. I think whether at the beginning or near the end of the semester, The Great Gatsby would have been one of my top choices to write about for the research paper. It is full of scandals and people wanting to live wealthy lives. They are all mixed in relationships that are crumbling around them. My only hope is to find more sources to use for the paper itself.

Langston Hughes - Research Blog 2

Langston Hughes Research Blog #2 –

In finding sources, our instructor has been a great deal of help for my research paper. I have borrowed a few books from her that deal with the post-colonial theory I will be using to analyze Langston Hughes’, “Let America Be America Again”, and “Open Letter to the South”. I also found a few sources through using Ebscohost Premier through the school’s library databases.

In doing the research project, I have almost redirected the focus of the essay based on a single line of an essay in one of the books I borrowed from Amy. “This may be called a literature of combat, in the sense that it calls on the whole people to fight for their existence as a nation” which was quoted from Frantz Fanon’s essay, “On National Culture”, I found both a theme and an angle to simply push the idea of my paper in another very directional way. I will still be using the post-colonial lens to further show how the process of colonization draws out this ‘fighting literature’ out in the oppressed people, and how it is critical that they respond to it in a manner so as to regain their identity.

Blog 10 Extra Credit Reed Steiner

Blog 10 Extra Credit
For my research paper I chose to use two poems by Langston Hughes, "The Weary Blues", and "Dream Boogie". I really enjoyed the two poems we read in class "Harlem" and "Theme for English B". I liked the content of the poems and that fact that it kept me thinking afterwards, but to me there was just something special about the rhythms of the poems that had me the most interested. So I decided to find some more of his poems at the library and my two favorite poems I read were "The Weary Blues" and "Dream Boogie" because he wrote them to emulated two different styles of jazz, Boogie and Blue. I think it's amazing he managed to capture the essence of the two styles of music in his poems, and I knew had to used them for my research paper.
At the being of the semester I would never have chosen poems by Langston Hughes, mainly because I had never heard of him before I took this class. Also initially the thought of using a poem for my research paper was out because I never thought that I could write something that long on a poem, but after falling in love with these poems made it much easier. Also I thought it might be difficult to find sources for poems, but after I researched I found it rather easy to find tons of really good sources and am actually a little bit excited about writting this one! 

Ancillary #4

Still no place to submit this on BlackBoard.

Extra Credit Blog 10

1984 by George Orwell takes places in 1984 and is about an imaginary future where a totalitarian state controls every single aspect of life, including what people think. Winston Smith is the protagonist of the novel and works for the state. The fictional state is called Oceania and is ruled by a group of people known as the Party and their dictator is named Big Brother. Smith secretly hates the Party and decides to rebel against them by starting a diary in which he reveals his rebellious thoughts. Since he cannot really think about his thoughts because he could get caught by the thought police he needs to write them down in the diary. Later on in the novel, Smith meets Julia, who also works in the same state department as his. He begins a love affair her but meet secretly because members of the same department cannot be together. Smith meets a man named O'Brien who tricks Smith to find out what he is truly doing behind the Party’s back. When he is caught they end up torturing and brainwashing him until he fully believes in the Party and its doctrines. Smith is forced to betray his love for Julia, and his feelings for her are destroyed. After all of this Smith is released to live out his final days in the state.
I ended up picking this novel because it is describing what the author thought the future would be like when he first published this novel in 1949. Reading about all the different types of literary lenses there are, I thought this book could relate to them. There is not the critical breakdown of what the author has intended in the novel but several character developments and internal dilemmas each character faces.

Extra Credit Blog - Starship Troopers

Over the summer, Heinlein novels were thrust upon me by a good friend and I have found myself drawn into the world of early Science Fiction. I can not get over Heinlein and how he writes. I think the guy is a genius and there is just so much to draw from any one of his novels, I really don't think I could go wrong. I decided to go with Starship Troopers because Stranger in a Strange Land is just so full of stuff thematically and otherwise that I'd never be able to cram what I want to say into seven pages. Troopers makes some very strong statements about citizenship, voting rights, and military service and those are topics I don't really make too much noise about despite having strong feelings about them. I've never really written a paper that I feel like I have such a strong connection to and feeling about. I think that comes partly from being able to pick my own novel. I have a connection to this book and I finally feel like I'm going to be doing a 'real' research paper.

Basically, the book centers around Johnnie Rico and his exploits in the Mobile Infantry. This is one of the few Heinlein novels told in flashbacks, and the format is very effective when combined with the first person narration. The story winds back and forth between past and present, starting with Johnnie's involvement in his first military raid. The narrative then flashes back to his senior year of high school and his decision to enlist in the MI. Five or so chapters chronicling his enlistment and various antics are followed with a flash back to the present. Johnnie eventually gets his staunchly anti-service father to enlist and his father ends up serving under Johnnie as he is promoted to captain at the end of the novel.

I haven't really read anything during the course of the class that influenced me to go with a Heinlein one way or the other, but this class has definitely given me a lot of confidence in my analytical abilities so I feel like I can tackle this project and do it justice. I'm not sure if I would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class because I wasn't as confident as I am now. I probably would have chosen something more benign. At this point though, I feel like I have a good direction and I'm finding some really great research. There are also other Heinlein novels I can use as sources to back up my points which gives me more reading to do :)

Is anyone else having trouble finding this week's readings?

They're not in the book and I can find references to and reviews of "He Would Never Hurt a Fly" online, but not the full text. I can't even pull anything up regarding the play. Does anyone have some hints or links for me? Thanks!

Blog 10, Extra Credit

This one may be the easiest yet. :) I'd like to hear about the text you have chosen for your project. I'm actually asking you for summary here -- imagine that! What drew you initially? Did anything we read this semester spark an interest or lead you to your choice? Do you think you would have chosen this text at the beginning of the class rather than the beginning?

Research Blog 2

This one is fairly open-ended. Discuss the research you have done thus far and what you think you might still need. From where are you pulling research? What have you found that seems particularly useful? Do you have any questions about your research?

(This blog isn't due until the research draft is due; there isn't any reason for you to rush on this one.)

Ancillary #4?

Hey guys :)

I was just looking at the reading schedule for this week, and I see Ancillary #4 is due at the end of the week. Has anyone seen it, or the research/extra credit blog prompts?

Thanks!

Research Blog #1 - Pride and Prejudice

English 103
Research Blog #1
Pride and Prejudice

The critical lens that I am that I am thinking about using is Marxism. I am using this particular literary lens in which to view my favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen. In our textbook, Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers, complied by John Schilb and John Clifford, it states that Marxist criticism is “based on the political and economic theories of Karl Marx. Marxists think a society is propelled by its economy, which is manipulated by a class system. Most people, especially blue-collar workers (the proletariat), do not understand the complex ways their lives are subject to economic forces beyond their control. This false consciousness about history and material well-being prevents workers from seeing that their values have been socially constructed to keep them in their place” (1602). After reading the textbook’s explanation of Marxist criticism, it is easy to decipher the concerns and interests of this theoretical school. Marxism is a theoretical school of thought that is based mainly on the economy, and held in place by a social class system. Marxism also explains that most people do not understand the “complex ways their lives are subject to economic forces beyond their control,” and that this obliviousness to understanding the strong economic forces “prevents workers from seeing that their values have been socially constructed to keep them in their place” (1602). I studied Marxism a little bit when I was in high school, but I never jumped into what it meant. However, now I what Marxism is, and thus, I am able to use this definition and apply it accordingly to Pride and Prejudice. I think that Marxism is the best methodology for me to use for Pride and Prejudice because it fits perfectly with the ideas that Austen weaves into the story. Mrs. Bennet – Elizabeth’s mother – is constantly concerned for her daughters’ welfare and is therefore always on the lookout for a potential wealthy husbands. Women did not marry for love; rather, they married to secure their financial futures. Women were tied to this strong belief system, and they let it run their lives. They never challenged it, and because of this, women were essentially “kept in their place.” Women could not be independent – they were dependent on men for everything. They had to be – it just was not normal for women to be earning their own paychecks back in the 1800s. Furthermore, men held women up to certain standards as well – once they became husband and wife, they were expected to do their “duties” that a proper wife would be expected to perform, such as being knowledgeable in certain subjects, such as music, literature, fine dining, etc. This “social” and “financial” system that was in place was a common feature of everyday life that Austen observed, and she incorporated this into Pride and Prejudice. Marxism is the perfect critical methodology to use for Pride and Prejudice of the structured, economical order of society that kept “everyone in their place.”

Extra Credit Blog - Week of 11/02

Theme for “English B” – The Question of Identity

Who am I? What will I do with my life? What am I supposed to do with my life? How am I important? These questions are common questions that most people ask themselves at one point during their lives that challenge their identities and what identity means to them. Some people are able to find the answer to these questions, and be satisfied with the answers they find; however, for those people who have faced various prejudices and hardships in their lives, these questions sometimes never have straight answers. Langston Hughes, the author of the poem, “Theme for English B,” wrote a poem about a young black student in a white school facing the question of identity. This student is trying to find his true self in the poem by expressing his voice to his instructor, but has trouble accomplishing this task. The main question that “Theme for English B,” raises about identity is what helps people to claim their identity; furthermore, after examining Hughes poem and the accompanying essay, identity is based on race and positions of authority.
In the poem, “Theme for English B,” written by Langston Hughes, the central question that Hughes embeds in his poem about identity is what factors help people to claim their identity. In the poem, the black student discusses various things that he believes might help him to discover who he is. For example, he states, “But I guess I’m what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me – we two – you, me, talk on this page, (I hear New York, too). Me – who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love, I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records – Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1069). Furthermore, in the essay, “Critical Essay on ‘Theme for English B,’” the author, Chris Semansky, states that the black student in Hughes’s essay is trying to find his identity by examining both his similarities to others and by finding out his differences: “His search for difference, in this case, instead yields both similarities and differences, as he first lists relatively common human desires—“Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. / I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.”--then more personal preferences—“I like a pipe for a Christmas present, / or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach” (Semansky 2). After examining these sources from the poem and from the essay, it is clear that Hughes had intended to place this important question for his readers to examine and hopefully help them to identity for themselves. In the poem, the young, black student who feels out of place in an all-white school hope to claims his identity by identifying with different material things, such as what books, music, and even what he enjoys getting for Christmas. Furthermore, the young black student discusses how he identifies with the city Harlem, and how Harlem makes up a part of who he is as a person. The poem and the critical essay written about the poem are essential examples showing how people shape their identities based on what they like, and even the places they grew up. Believe it or not, the places people live have a big deciding factor in how we shape our identity because it becomes a part of our culture. And, our culture becomes a big deciding factor in how we decide to shape our identity. It is amazing how the things around us and the things that we interact with help us to choose who we want to be. In the poem, “Theme for English B,” written by Langston Hughes, the author embeds the important central message of how the things around us influence our identities.
After examining Hughes poem and the accompanying poem on race, it is clear that identity in this poem is based on the issue of race. In the poem, the student explains to his professor that he is the only black student in the class, and because of this, it could actually affect how he will write this essay: “I wonder if it’s that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am the only colored student in my class. The steps from the hill lead down from Harlem through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1069). Furthermore, in Chris Semansky’s essay, “Critical Essay on ‘Theme for English B,’” he explains that people take positions on important issues all of the time in life, and this can cause them to view life differently, just like the black student in Hughes’s poem: “He tells us that he is a black man who was born in the South (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and is now attending a white school in the North (Columbia University in New York City).These differences alone complicate the assignment, as they highlight Hughes's feeling of alienation and the difficulty of “going home.” Underscoring this difficulty is the speaker’s description of the long route he takes to his current home, a room at the Harlem YMCA, and his description of Harlem--a predominantly black community--as literally down the hill from the university. By characterizing his “home” in terms of distance and difficulty, Hughes emphasizes how “un-simple” description is; how, regardless of what we say or write about something, we are always taking a position because we are saying one thing instead of another” (Semansky 1). These two pieces of evidence from the poem and the essay demonstrate how identity is based on the important issue of race. In the poem, the black student actually explains how this assignment may not be as easy as it seems. He may not be able to write everything that is in his heart due to the fact that he is the only black student in the class. Furthermore, to complicate the matter, his instructor is white as well, and may not appreciate everything the student is saying just because the instructor will be looking at the assignment as one written “by a black student” instead of just “written by a student.” Semansky makes this same connection as well in his critical essay. Semansky explains how the student in the poem feels it is important to explain his racial background as it is his racial background that defines who he is, and how other people view him as well. The poem and the accompanying essay are key factors in showcasing how race does help a person define their identity because it is a person’s race that advances them or brings them down in society. It is a sad thing that some people look down on others due to the fact that they have different skin color – and because some people do this, it can cause others to have a certain opinion of themselves. This, in turn, can shape their identity, as it helped to shape the black student’s identity in the poem. After reading the poem, “Theme for English B,” written by Langston Hughes, and the essay “Critical Essay on ‘Theme for English B,’” written by Chris Semansky, it is interesting to see just how much the issue of race can play in shaping a person’s identity.
In the poem, “Theme for English B” written by Langston Hughes, and the essay, “Critical Essay on ‘Theme for English B,’” written by Chris Semansky, identity is also based on the positions of authority. In the poem, “Theme for English B,” written by Langston Hughes, the black student actually challenges the professor authority a little bit at the end of the poem when he states the following: “As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me – although you’re older – and white – and somewhat more free” (qtd. in Schilb and Clifford 1070). Furthermore, in the essay, “Critical Essay on ‘Theme for English B,’” written by Chris Semansky, Semansky explains how the young black student was challenging the teacher by making this bold statement, and by doing this, it could cause the teacher to react irrational toward the student: “By questioning his instructor's very directions, the student-speaker is questioning his instructor's authority. While some instructors might think this action shows independent thinking and reward the student for such an action, it isn't clear that this will be the case in this poem. Hughes's description of the situation and of the instructor suggest that the instructor is most likely fairly conventional in his thinking (consider the generic nature of the assignment and the fact that the student isn't certain that the instructor can learn anything from him). Rather than seeing this poem as an example of creative independent thinking, the instructor might very well punish the student both for challenging him and for writing a poem instead of an essay. Seen in this light the poem, then, becomes an act of rebellion--of questioning the instructor's very identity as teacher” (Semansky 3). Semansky offers some excellent insight into Hughes’s poem by examining how a person’s identity is based on positions of authority. The teacher is in a very high and influential position, and has the potential to actually help shape his students’ identities with what he is teaching in the classroom. If the teacher uses this assignment for this particular purpose (for helping his students “discover” themselves), then his students (not just the black student, but all of his students) could really learn something about not only themselves, but also their professor. They will learn that even though their professor is in a higher position than they are, he cares about them and their futures, and is willing to assign homework that will actually matter in their lives. However, if the professor acts irrational towards some students because he does not appreciate their opinion, or does not appreciate them as people, he is still helping to shape his students’ identity. Only, they will not be building a positive identity of themselves, but rather a negative identity. If their teacher punishes them for what they write in the essay, and verbally abuses them, then how will the students gain a positive identity about themselves? No – their identities will be shaped negatively, and they will not trust anyone in higher positions of authority. It was interesting to see – in this poem – how someone in a position of power can have so much influence on other people’s identity.
Langston Hughes wrote a very powerful poem that deals with one of life’s most important issues – the issue of identity in this world. Every day, someone asks themselves “Who am I?” “Who will I be?” “Am I even important in this world?” And, these questions are answered and the person’s identity is shaped by the things and people around them. A person’s identity is one of the most important things they can gain in life; however, as demonstrated in Hughes’s poem, it is influenced by many factors that can either shape identity positively or negatively.
Sources:
1) Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers; complied by John Schilb and John Clifford; pages 1069-1070
2) Semansky, Chris. "Critical Essay on 'Theme for English B'." Poetry for Students. Ed. Mary K. Ruby. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Group, 1999. Literature Resource Center. Gale. MIRACOSTA COLLEGE. 3 Nov. 2009 .

Extra Credit Blog

For the extra credit blog, I chose to do "Theme for English B". Hughes presents an idea that seems undoubtedly ironic but all together true: our identity not only rests in our self-perception but also in the relationships that define us. Communication and learning are two-way processes, channels that go both ways: "As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me--/although you're older--and white--/and somewhat more free." We do not only define ourselves, others define us as well. From my perspective, our identities are not only determined by how we "define" ourselves, but also by how others define who we are and how we are perceived. There's more than one side to a story. We can be more than just one definition. We are defined by many definitions.

Extra Credit Blog

I chose to write about "Theme for English B." When I read this poem, I didn't really take it as anything negative at all, in fact, I read it as a declaration of being a proud African American. I believe that there are no questions about identity and that the author is just recollecting on the fact that he's just like a white person. Maybe he is coming into the fact that he is Black, yes, but he is too, American, and he is just declaring that. Identity is based on how you see yourself, according to this poem, and I, too, believe that.

Research Blog

I chose to do my research paper on the Catcher in the Rye because I think that nearly everyone that reads it finds that they relate to Holden quite heavily. I know I have. I also chose it because it's my favorite book, ha. Holden is a very troubled character and so, with that, I've chose to use the psychoanalytical method as my lens to write through. I hope in doing this I can learn more about Holden and therefore, learn more about myself.

Research Blog!!!

Well, I see that everyone has picked exemplary pieces to write their papers on...makes me feel a little mediocre. Nonetheless, I can't deny my guilty pleasure for Austen novels, and I have not written any papers on them yet. I will more than likely write my paper on Austen's novel Emma. I am in the last chapters of the novel and am debating whether or not I want to approach it from a feminist or psychoanalytic perspective. I'm sure that either will suffice. However, if anyone has some fresh approaches I could take, I would appreciate any feedback! :)

Research Blog #1

The critical lens I am thinking of using is psychological criticism on George Orwell’s novel 1984. Psychoanalytic theory refers to the definition and dynamics of personality development. I think using this critical method on 1984 would work because the novel focuses a lot on society and how people act when they are put in a situation that they cannot control. Rereading this novel though a psychological lens will help understand how the characters to this novel can relate to society now in present time based on the fact that this novel represents what Orwell possibly thought the future would be like. Thinking through a psychological lens helps understand the people around you and what the message is they want to set across.

Extra Credit Assignment-True Identity Not Based On Color.

Several question arise from the reading, the first: Do we "truly" know out identity? and secondly, when the poem was written "colored" were not considered "Americans" but "Africans". I never understood the word "colored" and it bothers me to hear people use the word. I would like to ask : "What color are they?" What dost the question "Will my paper be colored that I write?" mean? A persons identity is not based on reace, position of authority or ones racial views.
In English B the first six lines introduces the primary characters and elaborates on the information provided in the poems title. The instructions provided are very simple for the assignment. The speaker starts to list the reasons that the assignment might not be so simple. The speaker is addressing reacism in America and that race has nothing to do with his identity.
The student speaker communicates in line seven to ten that he begins the assignment, but then stops to question, his views. In line nine the detail of "color" is a description of the student speaker who is black and an inhabitant of Harlem. Due to the speakers race and domical the reader would belive that the speaker has felt racism in America and this would effect his identity.
The speaker questions the assignment again in line sixteen through twenty. In line nineteen the words "you and me", who is the the author referring to? of course, the instructor and the student speaker. The speaker is referring to a fight against the ignorance that created discrimination.
The speaker identifies himself clearly in lines tewnty-one to twenty-six in terms of his likes: "I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love/I tike to work, read, learn, and understand life". The speaker is showing the reader, author and instructor that he is the same as them. In addition, the speaker is showing that race has nothing to do with what he likes or dislikes
The student asked "Will my paper be colored that I write?" in line twenty-seven through thiry three. He is trying to make a statement that race has nothing to do with what he likes or dislikes. The speaker wants to be seen as an American and not a colored person.
The speaker states in line thirty-four through fory-one that "no one white can exist as white without his/her "colored" counter part. The student is making an important point to the instructor and him both can learn from each other no matter what race they may be. The speaker is just wanting people to see him as an "American and not a black man for his race does not make up his identity".

What I will be writing on...

I think I have posted earlier that I am still deciding to write on Cry, the Beloved Country or Things Fall Apart. The settings of these novels are in Africa. I want to write on either of these novels because both have social impacts and social point of view. Most importantly, it is on clashing of cultures. This must be an issue years ago but I do think that the importance of addressing social issues such as the difference of our cultures are still a dominant issues even at this point of time. Otherwise, sociologists could not have written new books of this nature. I also believe that sociological issues would continue to be a topic for generations to come. I am thinking of using the Marxist approach on my essay.

Research Blog 1

The critical theory I will be using is Psychoanalytic criticism. I chose The Great Gatsby. I was trying to decide between Feminism, Marxism, and Psychoanalytic. For the lens I am using, I will look at the character's romantic relationships with one another, and the defective intimacy problems they hold.

Research Project

The Devils Ceremony of Evil vs. Good

The text that I have chosen is Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I will look through a religious view point. In Young Go0odman Brown, Brown is lead out into the forest to take part in a ceremony with the devil. I will look at the text from a religious point on evil vs. good.

Research Blog Topic

For my research paper I will be using a Marxism lens to look at the effects of materialism on the characters in the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This method of criticism would work best for this novel because materialism plays such a vital role in the plot of the story and its relationship with The American Dream.

Where are we to post the essay?

I don't know were to post my extra credit essay. I sent an email and a blackboard message asking, but no answer. Can someone help? Then, when I tryed to paste the essay in the new posting it will not allow it. Please don't tell me I have to retype the essay in the new post window.

Research Blog

The critical lens that I will be using on my research paper is feminism. There is a book that I choose called “Moths,” that has several short stories of all the same origin. I will ultimately choose one, and analyze the story from a feminism perspective. All of the stories are in different generation, and supports the idea of gender roles in a Hispanic family. While most women are expected to stay at home, and never receive an education or have a voice of certainty. The stories are great for researching culture, religion, and dynamic in a Hispanic culture. I would love to explore this avenue of gender roles in a Hispanic culture, because I to am of Hispanic origins and would like to understand why the gender prejudice continues for so many generations.

( Sorry so late. I barley noticed the blogs that were posted here. I am planning on doing the extra credit as well if I have time this weekend last minute. )

Research Blog...Langston Hughes & Post-Colonialism

For my research paper, I have chosen to write on Langston Hughes, and I chose the lens of post colonialism. I feel that this is a natural choice for this writer in terms of the poetry, the time era in which it was written, and the topics that are addressed in the poetry. Post colonialism deals with displacement issues of a large number of people and their search for identity both as a people and as individuals. It addresses issues of discrimination, oppression, racism, and struggle.

Colonization is, defined by Webster, “to infiltrate with usually subversive militants for propaganda and strategy reasons” (Online). After the colonization of any people, it is clear that the politics and power struggle are clear issues of contention. What post colonization attempts to do is redefine who these ‘colonized’ people are once again. Rather than dismiss them as products of their ‘colonizers’, it attempts to understand and appreciate the people who are subjected to this colonization and their attempts to thrive and adjust to the newly experienced ideas and surroundings they encounter on their way to re-identifying with their cultures. After colonization occurs with any people, post colonialism addresses the issues of developing a new identity both nationally and individually.

Post colonialism primarily refers to the resistance from the West to diverging cultures and classes. This Western resistance began this theory and continues to play a role in the development of this theoretical lens. Although some would argue that this is a temporary state, and not a true theory to be developed into the changing global society, post colonialism is a permanent way of looking at the trans-culturalization or the globalization processes that occur in any meshing of people, countries, or identities.

What Hughes two works dually theme is a process of colonization. The rhetoric that he uses is best described in “On National Culture” by Franz Fanon who states, “The native intellectual nevertheless sooner or later will realize that you do not show proof of your nation from its culture but that you substantiate its existence in the fight which the people wage against the forces of occupation.” This quote is indicative of the forceful nature by which Hughes attacks the structures of the oppression that the marginalized American’s felt at the hands of the European government ideas and institutions. More specifically, I intend to support the idea that Hughes was, in fact, waging a silent war on these oppressions and racisms through his writing.

Hughes himself expressed, “We, the creators of the new generation, want to give expression to our black personality without shame or fear… We know we are handsome. Ugly as well. The drums weep and the drums laugh.” Using works like “creators”, “shame”, and “fear”, it is easily seen that Hughes was passively attacking the standard of societal norms to attempt to redefine what the colonized people of his country should demand. Pushing the boundaries and testing the waters, both Hughes’ poems that I will analyze are full of conflict. It is this conflict and its sources that bring about the lens of post-colonial issues of alterity, Diaspora, Eurocentrism, hybridity, and imperialism.

Works Cited

Online, Merriam Webster. colonize. 4 November 2009.

Works Cited

Chrisman, Patrick Williams and Laura. Colonial Discourse and Post-Colonial Theory: A Reader. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994.

Online, Merriam Webster. colonize. 4 November 2009.

Extra Credit Assignment

I will choose "English B" as my reading.

Bug Wars

I'm going to be working with a Heinlein science fiction novel and using the New Historicist method of criticism to look at my text. Heinlein writes very thematically charged novels set in the future, however, both of the texts that I'm trying to decide between were written during times of upheaval and volatility in U.S. popular and political culture. New Historicism attempts to understand literature by looking at the historical and cultural context in which it was written, as well as attempting to understand history by reading period literature. I think this is going to be the most interesting angle to take when dealing with my novels. I'm leaning towards Starship Troopers at the moment. The novel revolves around several themes that have to do with citizenship, voting rights, and duty as an individual as well as a member of a greater society. Troopers was written in the late 1950s, as the world was dealing with the effects of WWII and Korea, as well as the burgeoning Cold War. Using New Historicism to get a look at the context in which Troopers was written will provide a lot of insight into the themes that Heinlein looks at in his novel.

Research Blog 1 Reed Steiner

Research Blog 1
The literary theory that I am going to use is called the African-American or Black literary criticisms. Black criticism gives sense that black writing comes out of sociological, political and cultural situation marked by oppression is similar the post-colonial criticism because of the historical and cultural formation of the back culture and the oppression that they faced and still face today. It concerns the struggles of relations of race similar in some respect to the feminist theory. Focuses on the African heritage, on the evolved American black culture, on the possibility of adaptation to a new non-racial cultural formation. An attempt to recognize and celebrate black art that owes its meaning and expression to the particular expressions and traditions of black culture and experience. The most influential black aesthetic contribution, jazz, forms for many a model for black aesthetics and culture.
I am going to apply this lens to the poetry of Langston Hughes, "Weary Blues" and "Dream Boogie". Both pieces are suppose to mimic the style of jazz; "Weary Blues" mimics blues music and "Dream Boogie" mimic boogie. In my paper I want to talk about how these poems draw a image of the African American experience by incorporation music the poetry to celebrate back musical culture and express the significance of the Black Americans.
Here is the source I used on the Black literary theory:
"Department of English Languages and Literature - Courses." Brock University, Niagara Region, 500 Glenridge Ave., St. Catharines, Ont. L2S 3A1 Canada. Web. 06 Nov. 2009. .
So far these are my ideas, and if anyone has some suggestion I am open to hear them. Thanks!

Blackboard Status

The blackboard looks as if everything is normal. Grade are as they should be. I do not yet have a midterm grade at all, but that hasn't been there anyway. Your most recent announcement was is available regarding additional sources for the research paper, and it looks as though all of the lectures that have not posted for the last couple weeks are now under course materials.

Overall, BB appears to be working fine from the student's end.

Hope this helps!

Rachel

Poetry Choice, Extra Credit Blog

If you want to write about a short story, see the blog below. The directions are below as well, in the short story blog, so make sure you read them. You will write about only one text for this extra credit blog (although you should still respond to another's). This is the selection for the poetry essay.

1.“Theme for English B” is most often examined as a meditation and questioning of identity. The attending article explores the poem from this vantage point – explain which questions you think the poem raises about identity, and which it answers, if any. Lastly, consider what identity means here – is it based on race? On one’s reaction to race? On positions of authority? You decide.

Short Story Choices, Extra Credit Blog

Discussion Questions Week of 11/02

Choose one of the following to address. Write a short essay exploring the question(s) raised; this should have a recognizable thesis and attending paragraphs. It does not need to be as long or developed as a formal essay, but it should be more developed than the typical blog entry and have a clear main point around which the rest of the ideas are developed. You should quote from the attending articles and/or lectures offered on the text. As there have been multiple extra credit opportunities in the course, this last one (aside from your Writing Center visits, if indeed you are completing these) requires a bit more of you. Please do not feel compelled to complete these, but if you want to, well then, full steam ahead!

1.Consider “The Hunger Artist” using the short article “The Hunger Artist” in Course Materials. The story can be difficult to make sense of upon a first reading, but it’s enormously rich culturally, biographically, and historically. The story was published posthumously and counter to Kafka’s directions to “burn” the manuscript. You may recognize his name as he is the author of the acclaimed and widely known Metamorphosis.

Can such a performance/exercise be considered art? In our day, this may seem quite strange, but, in contemporary society, it wasn’t so much. Think about the characteristics we assign things we call “art” – which do we use today to decide something is of merit enough to be called “art”? Who decides this – the artist or his or her public? Which standards of definition do you think might be different now than then? By which definition or including which characteristics can we say the hunger artist truly is a “artist”?

2. Read the attending article for “The Penal Colony”, then explore the following idea: “Kafka's fiction examines the fate of individual characters put in humiliating, embarrassing, bewildering or sinister situations. The explorer is the quintessentially Kafkaesque character in “In the Penal Colony.” What, then, is the fate of this/these characters?

Research Blog 1

****Blogspot admin was under repair/getting a patch fix yesterday, which is why your blog prompts are going up today.

Discuss the critical lens you are thinking of using (feminism, Marxism, etc.) Remember, you do not have to commit absolutely; you can always, despite, Ancillary #3, make changes to your final exploration. Why do you want to use this lens, and on which text will you apply this method of interpretation?

Research Prompt and Extra Credit Blog?

Hello Everyone,
I hope that everyone is having a great week this week. I have a question. Has anyone seen the extra credit blog and research blog? I do not see it in our class module or in blogspot. Maybe I am just overseeing it, but I do not see it anywhere. I would appreciate the help. Thanks so much! Have a blessed week!

Sincerely,
Jillian

Just to double check..

This week we need to:

Finish the workshop

Do Ancillary #3 if we're taking the extension

Do the research blog and the optional extra credit blog

Read the selections/lectures

Is that it? Did I miss something? Thanks guys :)

My Topics

I am still deciding between Cry, the Beloved Country and Things Fall Apart. These novels address social issues and other personal conflicts. So, I am hoping to write a good essay on one of these books.

Thanks.

Discussion Questions

I chose to write about "After Auschwitz." I really enjoyed this poem because of how brutal and violent it was. The words Anne Sexton chose really resonated with me. The imagery in the poem is probably what made it as great as it is. It seemed as though this poem captured the very anger that everyone whom was victimized by the Holocaust felt. And even though she is angry, she prays at the end for the Lord not to hear, almost as though she is guilty for being so angry. I really very much enjoyed reading this.


The other poem I chose to write about is "Let America be America Again." Again, I really enjoyed reading this poem because of the obvious angst portrayed within it's lines. I believe that anyone and everyone who reads this poem could feel something and identify with it's lines. Langston Hughes really captures the feelings and emotions of Black America in the past, and although I, myself, am not African American, while reading Langston's poetry, I can almost identify with how they felt because at one point or another, everyone's felt hopeless and like they deserve justice.

Discussion Questions For Week 10/26

1. I found the poem Harlem by Langston Hughes to be full of similes. Langston uses several similes but at the same time they are used as a metaphor to create a bigger picture. The bigger picture focuses on the conditions of people whose dreams have been limited, put off, or lost in post-World War II Harlem. The raisin the poet talks about is a simile for the dreams. The last line "Or does it explode?" shows a feeling of frustration. All of these dreams have been put off and the more they get put off the more frustration that is created.


2. In Theme for English B by Langston Hughes there is one very apparent theme in the poem. The narrator which happens to be the college student seems to be having troubles in regards to identity. The poem asks who are we and how is it that we know who we are? The narrator asks himself this question and discovers that identity is a product of racial distinction. We are who we are not. Identity is something a community creates, whether that community be racially homogeneous or racially divided. In the class this community is racially divided but the narrator states that even though they are all different they are all connected. They are all striving for the same goal in the class. This is reassured when the narrator states “That's American./Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me./Nor do I often want to be a part of you./But we are, that's true!”

Last Discussion Questions Reed Steiner

Last Discussion Questions Reed Steiner

1. My favorite poem from this week is "First They Came for the Jews" by Martin Niemoller. It was an interesting narrative that would wouldn’t normally hear. It starts off by saying that he did not speak of for the Jews, the Communists, the unionists, so there was no one left to speak out for him. Niemoller is saying that it's not just the Nazi's fault for the holocaust and it's not just the governments fault for other corruptions that happen it's all our fault because need to stand up for what is right and stand up against what is wrong no matter what the consequence is.

2.I also really enjoyed "The hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka. I thought it was an interesting concept to have an artist that fasts. I'm not sure of what the meaning is except I did make one connection. That man would fast for-forty days which is the same amount of time that Jesus fasted in the desert. So maybe the short story is some kind of metaphor or allegory for Jesus. At first the hunger artist was some big sensation because what he was doing seemed like miracle, Jesus performed merciless. Then after they were over the it they just let the man die and starve himself to death, much like Jesus. Jesus was killed by the same group of people that followed him. Maybe the hunger artist is support to be Jesus. The only thing that doesn't match up to well is the hunger artist did rise again.