The Results.....drum roll please

Hey folks! I hope you all are a little less stressed at this point during finals week. I have counted and recounted your votes for the next text to be included in English 110: Reading Now, and the winner is......My Sister's Keeper! Thanks to all of you who voted, and thanks for all your hard work this semester. I have enjoyed reading and discussing (however candid) books all semester with you, and I truly am sad to see our course end. I wish you all nothing but the best of luck in all of your future endeavors, and I hope you all continue to read! Read!

You all have touched me in so many ways--thanks for your thoughts and your candor.

Voting

Hey folks! Just to clarify, your blog postings on your vote for the most suited text for the next incarnation of English 110 will be counted towards your total blog postings for the course. They of course must be at least 250 words, and they must include a rationale for your choice.

Thanks for all your hard work this semester, and I hope you continue to READ! READ!

Don't forget your papers are due tomorrow by 5 PM.

Fight Club

As you are resting and catching up on work over this (fantastic, glorious, absolutely necessary) Thanksgiving break week, here are some thoughts to get you going on blogging your responses to Fight Club:

--Tyler refers to the current moment (note: 1999) as one without any distinction or great battles. "Our Great War is a spiritual war," he claims, "our Great Depression is our lives." What do you suppose Tyler meant by this assertion? How does it relate to Fight Club? What critiques of masculinity or Americanness does it make?

--Edward Norton is obsessed with IKEA furniture (or more specifically, IKEA catalogs) at the beginning of the movie. How is he a symptom of consumer culture?

--Why does Project Mayhem focus on NYC's financial district as the nexus of their frustration? How might a post-9/11 world view this movie?

--Edward Norton's realization that Tyler Durden is a hallucination is the twist in an otherwise straightforward violent movie. How does this twist effect the movie's message? Does it detract from the movie's critique or deepen its impact for you?

--If you've seen this movie before, how is this viewing different? How does it relate to the social and cultural critiques we've read in the other texts for the course and how does it compare to the cinematic critiques we've viewed in Everything is Illuminated and The Kite Runner?

--If you're already begun reading In the Shadow of No Towers, how does Fight Club relate to, resist or differ from the messages and critiques of Spiegelman's text?

For those of you would like a little posting direction, here are some questions that will get you started:

--The Edge Foundation lists idea after dangerous idea in The Best American Nonrequired Reading. Given the absurdity and humor of each of those ideas, what do you suppose is the commentary being made?

--"Rock the Junta" paints an interesting portrait of Myanmar's governmental suppression. How does the piece relate to our viewing of The Kite Runner?

--Alison Bechdel's graphic comic investigates death from an emotional and equally detached position. Recalling our reading of "Toga Party," how is death popularly viewed, and how do Bechdel and "Toga Party" reveal something about our views on death that "shake up" those mainstream views?

--Sufjan Stevens writes about his acquisition of literacy at a grocery store. What are the hidden meanings and metaphors of his education process? How does this relate to the concept of nonrequired reading?

Individual Final Papers

Individual Paper Summaries

The final task for this course (beyond your group presentation) is a 5-6 page summary and persuasive piece that will recommend a text for the next incarnation of English 110 based on the book your group chose to advocate. While 5-6 pages may seem daunting, please consider the structure of such a paper:

--You should spend at least three to four pages outlining the contents (ie., the plot) of the novel
--After relating the plot and contents of the novel, you should also provide a persuasive explanation of the text’s literary worth vis-à-vis the literary elements we have discussed in our class time together. Does the author employ a break with traditional conceptions of genre, narration or other conceptual literary devices? What makes this novel or text unique?

I will not ask you to include outside sources, but should you choose to include them, please cite them in MLA format. Your voice in the conversation and interpretation is what I am most interested in.

Belated Instructions for Group Presentations

Heya folks--Apparently my account was hacked into. Instructions for the Group Project follow below. I will insert the instructions for your individual papers in a separate blog post

English 110 Final Group Project and Individual Persuasive Paper

There are two elements to your final grade for the course. Your first grade is a group grade based on the summation and persuasive qualities your group demonstrates to the class. The second grade is based on your summation and persuasive skills in an individual essay.

Final Group Project:

The next incarnation of English 110 will include a text chosen by your classmates, based upon your persuasive ability to offer plot details and make vivid the literary elements of (non)fiction we have discussed all semester.

What?

Your book should be a novel or novella with a social, cultural or literary purpose. In order to select a text, you might look to Pulitzer Prize lists, the Man Booker Prize for fiction, or even the Amazon Bestseller lists. You may not advocate single genre novels intended for a specific audience; these include: mystery, fantasy, poetry collections, chick lit, horror, etc. If you have trouble deciding whether a book your group is considering is in fact a contender, please see me immediately. You might also consult the list of books chosen for this course (a little hint—if you search for these titles on amazon.com and scroll down the page, you will find “recommended” or “related” titles that might help in the search).

Along with your group, you should delegate different “jobs” to all—one person might relate the first half of the novel’s plot while another offers the second half of the novel’s plot, or you might look to your group members to summarize literary elements that make the novel worthy of contention for a college level reading course syllabus. Literary elements we have briefly glossed over this semester (see the class blog for a list of terms and concepts we have covered) should be an integral part of the presentation, although not all terms will/may apply.

When?

The final presentations for this course are scheduled for the final week of class instruction (ie. known as “dead week”). I will construct a list of groups in an order determined by random hat pull (I actually have a hat I will put group names into). If your group should have a preference for which day you present, please let me know.

Blog prompts

For those of you would like to respond in your blogs to the various texts/films we have been reading/watching, here are some thoughts to get the ball rolling:

--Kite Runner ends with Amir going to Afghanistan to retrieve Hassan's son. While Amir hadn't see Hassan since abandoning and betraying him as a youth, Hassan seems to have forgiven Amir, and his letter indicates that he knows he might never see his old friend again. Amir's guilt over the years must have been tremendous, but was this Amir's purpose for going to the Kabul orphanage? Despite the family ties that existed between Amir and Hassan, and their subsequent revelation to Amir, why do you think Amir traveled to Kabul?

--Also in Kite Runner, Sohrab saves Amir from Assef's brutality by using a slingshot. This scene mirrors the actions of Hassan earlier in the film. Is Amir's defense of Sohrab to General Taheri Amir's attempt to take a stand he didn't take earlier in the film? Or rather, does Amir redeem himself in the process of accepting Sohrab into his home?

--Water for Elephants contrasts the young and old Jacob through flashbacks. How has Jacob changed over the years? What has remained the same?

--Water for Elephants is what is referred to as historical fiction. Did Sara Gruen's attempt to paint a portrait of the Depression-era circus succeed? Or does it reveal more about our current worldview(s)? How have times changed since the Depression Era?

--Jacob, like a few other characters we have read about in the course ("the garage light timed out"--*shudder*), muses on what it's like to grow old. How do you view Jacob's thoughts on aging? How do his thoughts relate to the characters in "Toga Party"?




And finally, for those of you would like to begin responding to The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, what qualities make Oscar a likeable character? Does he remind you of Edwin de Valu in Happiness? Is his peculiar position as a "nerdy ghetto boy" as described on the dust jacket a fair representation? And what about Lola? Does she remind you of Jane in My Year of Meats? Which character(s) do you relate to?

What kinds of cultural barriers are erected in this novel? How do they contribute to your sense of "uncomfortability" we talked about in Monday's class?

Midterm Reflections

My Blogger account has had a little trouble in the past week, so hopefully this post goes up without a hitch.

Your midterm essay reflection should be 2-3 pages double spaced (for each individual group member, not a group essay), and should detail these specifics about your group's midterm project:

--Which text did you choose to focus your project on, and why?
--What does your "reading" of the text add to the discussion?
--Which specific element or scene did you choose to focus on, and why?
--What does the medium you chose add to the interpretation of the text? For example, if you chose a skit, how does acting out the scene add depth or complexity to the initial reading?

See you folks tomorrow, and I really look forward to your presentations!

Blog prompts

We finished Everything is Illuminated on Wednesday. There were a number of possible reasons for the grandfather's suicide that we mapped out together in class, but why do you think he killed himself? And how was his decision to take his life either like to unlike that of the couple in "Toga Party?"


Now that you've seen the first half of Kite Runner, what are your impressions of the film thus far? What do you make of the bond between the two boys, Amir and Hassan? Why did their relationship change after the kite running competition?

Everything is Illuminated Prompt

I hope you are enjoying the film of the week, based on Jonathan Safran Foer's novel of same name, Everything is Illuminated.

To get you started on thinking about the film, you will have noticed by now the strange obsession "JonFen" has for collecting mementos related to events and people. Remember the wall shrine with various souvenirs taped around photographs of his family? What do you suppose at this point in the film is the function of his souvenirs?

For those of you interested in posting on last week's short stories from the Best American Short Stories 2007, do you sense any similar themes in the selections we read? Do you think the editorial decisions of edition editor Stephen King had anything to do with these perceived themes?

And finally, to choose just one, which story was most entertaining or thought-provoking? Did you prefer the depressing suicide that closed John Barth's selection? Were you inspired by the rescue scene that seemed to bring back purpose and meaning to the life of Alice Munro's main protagonist?

See you all Wednesday for another installment of Everything is Illuminated......

Reading for Friday

Just in case you missed it or weren't present for class today, we will be reading Richard Russo's short story, "Horseman," for Friday's class. Please come prepared to discuss this story from your Best American Short Stories 2007. 

Selection for Monday

In Monday's class, we will finish up with My Years of Meats, and move into the anthologies you bought for the course. We will begin with T.C. Boyle's short story "Balto" from the Stephen King edited Best American Short Stories 2007, so come to class ready to discuss the genius that is T.C. Boyle!

URGENT NEWS: CLASS IS CANCELLED TODAY

I am terribly ill and won't be able to make it to school today. Hopefully you all see this blog post before our scheduled class time! Friday we will cover both those of you who were scheduled to present your literary terms and definitions today (as well as Friday), and we will finish up our last day of My Year of Meats. Any questions, please email me directly.

Prompt question and reminders

For those of you who have already blogged your alternate endings to Will Ferguson's Happiness, they have been noted and read already. For those of you who forgot or just can't decide how to end such a wonderful novel, don't forget to do so....and soon. I will count this mandatory post as both class participation (since it's mandatory) and as a blog post towards your final goal. There aren't any true guidelines for an alternate ending (the sky is the limit since it is your interpretation of the novel's message that will shine through your prose), but just be sure to post at least 250 words.


As you begin Ruth Ozeki's 1999 novel My Year of Meats, it has probably already become obvious to you that Ozeki is exploring and critiquing various roles and issues. Meat, gender roles, nationalism, ethnicity...nothing is safe from Ozeki's gaze. As the back cover suggests, it is at once "juicy...tender...bloody...[and] sizzling." What roles stand out to you as the most important in this first half of the novel?

REMINDER: the above prompt is for those who would like a little nudge in the blogging direction. You are by no means required to respond to the prompt. Follow your own path, my grasshoppers!!

English 110 Critical Terms Presentation Schedule

Wed 10 Sept	Sandra R	Point of view
Wed 10 Sept	Madeline S	Narrator
Wed 10 Sept	Richard O	Symbol
Fri 12 Sept	Kaitlyn W	Allusion
Fri 12 Sept	Matt J	Hyperbole
Fri 12 Sept	James B	Dystopia
Mon 15 Sept	Andrew S	Poststructuralist Criticism
Mon 15 Sept	Bryna C	Formalist Criticism
Mon 15 Sept	Jasmine C	New Criticism
Wed 17 Sept	Spenser J	Postcolonial Criticism
Wed 17 Sept	Ethan J	Postmodern Criticism
Wed 17 Sept	Alison V	Psychoanalytic Criticism
Fri 19 Sept	Sarah S	Tone
Fri 19 Sept	Chelsea W	Imagery
Fri 19 Sept	Makanda K	Feminist Criticism
Mon 22 Sept	Brian H	Ambiguity
Mon 22 Sept	Stephanie C	Satire
Mon 22 Sept	Kate L	Parody
Wed 24 Sept	Emma L	Monologue
Wed 24 Sept	Dana D	Characterization
Wed 24 Sept	Michelle L	Diction
Fri 26 Sept	Tasha A	Genre
Fri 26 Sept	Bailey F	Historical Novel
Fri 26 Sept	Buck N	Graphic Novel
Mon 20 October	Rebekah O	Tragicomedy
Mon 20 October	Madeline W	Theme
Mon 20 October	Kristen P	Irony
Wed 22 October	Nicole F	Archetype
Wed 22 October	Camille W	Hero/Antihero
Wed 22 October	Johnny S	Paradox
Fri 24 October	Matt B	Reversal (Plot)
Fri 24 October	Marie Z	Short story
Fri 24 October	Amber T	Allegory

Our last day of Happiness

Well, maybe not our last day of happiness in life, but our last day of Will Ferguson's brand of happiness will be this Friday. For Monday's class we will begin Ruth Ozeki's My Year of Meats, which I hope you all find as entertaining and thought-provoking as our current text.

Blog creation

Just in case anyone is wondering/freaking out, I will show you all how to create a blog tomorrow. It is imperative that you create your blog and send the link to me sometime this week, but I will ensure that you all know precisely what is expected of your blogs.

In fact....

Fancy graphics? Racy pictures? Profound, life-changing mottos? No need for such frills. English 110 should be about reading and enjoying reading, not throwing your computer out of your dorm window.

First prompt

Since this is the first week, Thursday by 8 PM will be your deadline for responding to the first text in this course. Below is a prompt question (again you may choose to respond to the question, or you may choose to present your own insightful response to the text).

First prompt question: Ferguson's Happiness presents the self-help book as nothing more than a packaged production meant to fill a publishing catalog. What is your opinion of self-help books, and why?

Response example (the following entry is around 350 words):
Even before beginning Will Ferguson’s Happiness, I read the back cover. “For those who choke on Chicken Soup for the Soul or have choice words for Dr. Phil,” the back cover claims to serve up a healthy dose of critical cynicism and inoculate against the pre-packaged twelve step plan of the self-help world. Even Jenni, Edwin’s automaton wife, heeds the creeds of women’s magazines absolutely obsessed with men and how to rid oneself of/please/do without them. I’ve always scoffed at self-help books and magazines alike, but I can’t help thinking that Edwin himself is in need of some major internal renovation. How does one better oneself without numbered and chaptered guides promising to give you confidence, make you more money, bring you happiness, etc.? Obviously bettering oneself has nothing to do with education in this text, as Edwin is a well-read (albeit jaded) editor who at one time got a master’s degree in English. Marriage doesn’t better Edwin since he and Jenni have never taken the time to truly bond or forge a meaningful relationship. Friendship doesn’t seem to better Edwin, given his penchant for falling into bed with female friends and fantasizing about their waxy red lips. So what in the world will save Edwin?

It’s one of the great ironies of this novel that when Edwin finally begins to take control of his life and work (even if he has to climb through excrement to put himself in gear) it is a self-help book that he must chase and of which he must finally recognize the power and potential.

I do laugh at Chicken Soup books, I do want to throw darts at a dartboard with Dr. Phil’s face on it, and I do really despise women’s magazines, but what if it isn’t the words or the plans or the steps or the pictures of fuzzy puppies on every page that help people? Action is far more powerful than words in many cases, and maybe Edwin must finally realize that sitting in a cubicle with a swamp of slush pile manuscripts won’t bring him happiness.

Don't forget to create your blog!

A couple of your classmates have been so kind as to email me their web log addresses, so please make a note of the blogroll to the right of this post. You will need to refer to these links when responding to a classmate's blog.

Up tomorrow: an optional prompt question for Will Ferguson's Happiness, as well as an example of a web post response to get you all started.

It was lovely meeting all of you today, and hopefully Ferguson's famous wit is entertaining you all.