Eh 200 Summer Session 2010 Class 14

Class Fourteen:

1) For today, you needed to add the third source and move towards the end of the paper, page five.

2) This morning, we will be starting with some reflection and then transition into a peer review.

Here, again, is your prompt:

Your prompt:

You job is to draft a five page paper that makes an argument about the following subject:

How does Stephen Crane’s short story “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets” illustrate important relationships between concepts including work, play, class, setting, tone, and plot as they bear on Maggie. You only need to select and describe the relationships between three of those concepts.

This paper will require you to establish good working definitions for your key concepts, and that you develop your argument and explanations through close readings of the story.

*You must begin with a clear thesis you defend throughout the paper.

*Your body paragraphs must have a clear topic sentence that makes a claim, and then must provide good specific evidence from the text that backs up that claim, and you must describe how that evidence supports the claim through a warrant.

*You must make good transitions between paragraphs, and you must never – ever – use a quote without providing a context for it.

*Every draft I see must be heavily proofread before you turn it in.

In-class Writing: (Suggested: 10 Minutes)

Where are we with this paper? Describe how the paper has developed over the past few days. What have the challenges been? How have you overcome these challenges? What are you most/least happy about in terms of the current state of your draft?

Group Discussion: (Suggested: 5 Minutes)

Peer Review: (Suggested: 20-30 Minutes)

3) You will be looking for five things in three separate papers. (See Handouts)

Reflection on peer commentary (remaining time before break)

Break

Yesterday, we began to think about social issues, what that are, and their possible presence in the stories we read and live. We also thought about how we might describe the social issues we encounter in the workplace as stories, and why it would be good to know how to do this.

Today, we are going to tie that concept to another concept:

The American Dream

In-class Journal Writing: (Suggested: 10 Minutes) What is the American Dream as you understand it? Has it been represented in the stories we have read this semester?

Group Discussion: (Suggested: 10 Minutes)

Group Presentations: (Suggested: 10 Minutes)

Here is a definition:

The American Dream is the desire to grow and develop as an individual by expanding your awareness of social and economic possibilities as they exist within an American context.

It recognizes that, just as America is a vast landscape with numerous and unique physical characteristics – the grand canyon, the gulf of Mexico, the forests of the Northeast and Northwest – our social and economic landscape is similarly nuanced and diverse and _intrinsically meaningful_.

However, the “American” is unique not because he or she has a desire to explore and experience the fullness of his or her culture.

Most people have such desires. What makes the American unique is the belief that he or she _can_ actually do this.  Many other cultures do not have this intensely optimistic – sometimes almost foolishly optimistic – belief.

I would also argue that when Americans lose sight of the American dream,  they lose something vitally important, and tend to become deeply confused about who they are and what it is they want to do.

So…why is American Literature important? Well, among other things, it reminds us of the American dream and its importance. That’s why! Next time someone asks you that, there’s your answer!

So let’s work with this idea:

The American Dream is the desire to grow and develop as an individual by expanding your awareness of social and economic possibilities as they exist within an American context.

Journal Entry: (Suggested: 10 minutes)

Identify specific details and descriptions in one  story that you think bear most accurately or inaccurately on the reality of the American Dream as we have just defined it. Use good examples, cite them.

Group Work: (Suggested: 10 minutes)

1)      Share your findings with one another, and then come up with a statement on the following, which one of you will present:

1.      Select one story that we have read this semester and identify two things about it:

1.      What are the major social issues in the story?

2.      How do these issues impact a character’s ability to experience the American Dream as we have defined it today?

Journal: (Suggested: 10 minutes)

What are your professional aspirations? Which specific social or cultural issues do you see as challenging your professional aspirations? Are similar issues represented in any of the stories we have read this semester so far?

Group Work: (Suggested: 10 minutes)

Discuss your findings and share your comments with one another. Compile a list to share with the rest of the class. We will be going around to do this.

Journal: (Suggested: 10 minutes)

Out of all the stories we have read this semester, which one has best informed your understanding of the worlds of work and play?  Which story has appeared to be the least relevant, and why? Your answer should use example of character, setting, plot, tone, point-of-view.

Group Discussion: (Suggested: 10 Minutes)

Homework: Finish The Draft of Paper 2