Hello,
Just a few reminders and information that you need for next week.
1. If you wish to submit a rough draft for me to review of Out of Class Essay 1, it must be submitted by Monday, Sept. 26
2. If you have not already, be sure to make corrections on your course outline. I announced the changes in class before I left for Hawaii since I was going to be gone on Wednesday, the 21st of September.
.
3 The reading assignment for Packet 3 can be found below. It is due to be read by Wednesday, Sept. 28, according to your course outline. Both readings focus on America's war on drugs, a timely topic when one considers the events in the series, Breaking Bad.
PACKET 3: (two readings)
"The War on Drugs: Brief History"
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1887488,00.html
"On the 40th Anniversary of the War on Drugs"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/15/40-anniversary-war-on-drugs-cops-obama_n_877702.html
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Greetings....(and do I dare add....Aloha! No? Okay....)
A couple of things....mostly reminders...
1. If you have any questions or concerns about the out of class essay assignment...or about anything else...please know I will be available by email so do not hesitate to send me a note.
2. Professor O'Donnell will be taking my place next week on Monday, the 19th. She will distribute in class Writing Response #2. You will of course have the entire class period to complete it if you find that necessary.
3. Class is cancelled on Wednesday, the 21st.
Until we meet again, please be safe.
A couple of things....mostly reminders...
1. If you have any questions or concerns about the out of class essay assignment...or about anything else...please know I will be available by email so do not hesitate to send me a note.
2. Professor O'Donnell will be taking my place next week on Monday, the 19th. She will distribute in class Writing Response #2. You will of course have the entire class period to complete it if you find that necessary.
3. Class is cancelled on Wednesday, the 21st.
Until we meet again, please be safe.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday, Sept. 12th, around 930 pm
Hello,
Below you will find a copy of Out of Class Essay 1 Assignment that you received in class today.
AND SOME REMINDERS...
1. For those of you in section 14, I would like to remind you (since I did not remember in class BUT did remember in section 16) to bring your Handbook to class on Wednesday. As you know, whenever something is due to be read, you bring that item to class. So again, this is merely a reminder. And as we have discussed, you can bring the actual Handbook or a laptop in order to access the material in class; of course you can print out a hard copy as well. There just could be a quiz...
2. If for some reason you have NOT viewed the TED talk, "The Year of Living Biblically," be sure to view it before coming to class on Wednesday.
3. As I explained in class, next Wednesday there will be no class. Please make the following changes on your course outline:
In Week Four, please move the activities for Wednesday the 21st to Monday, Sept 26th.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
English 20, Sections 14 & 16
Fall, 2011
Catherine Fraga, Instructor
Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible—VOICES AGAINST CONFORMITY
• Assigned: Monday, Sept. 12
• Rough Draft Due (OPTIONAL), typed & double spaced, no later than: Monday, Sept. 26
• Final Draft Due: Monday, October 3, typed & double spaced
***Note that you have two weeks to research and write this essay. Your final draft should reflect this.
Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.
The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where the students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.
For this essay, you will research and write about one person who is/was considered a non-conformist in his/her field of interest.
This topic allows for a wealth of flexibility and choice.
Your focus will be on a person working in an area (and time period in history) that you are most interested in: photography; art; literature; politics; film; music; fashion; science; mathematics; education; or ???
To get a better idea of some possibilities, and for purpose of illustration, let’s look at some examples of topics within in the time period of the 1950s in America.
Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.
Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.
Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others)
Likewise, many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others)
Also, according to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”
Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc)
No matter what non conformist you select to research, your essay must contain the following:
• a brief history of the country’s mood during this time period;
• background and details about the non-conformist you will focus on;
• how his/her work challenged the status quo;
• the impact of his/her work on others in the same field and on society;
• and the repercussions and influence felt today or what you predict WILL be the repercussions in the future.
Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will “prove” the person’s influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.
Things to Consider:
This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music, etc. of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, or listen to the work or material at great length.
Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period——why and how a person’s work was considered non conformist—and how their work influenced those living then…and now.
Your thesis might read something like this:
Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many visual artists at this time, particularly Jackson Pollack, successfully combated the blissful charade by using innovative methods and themes in his work.
Below you will find a copy of Out of Class Essay 1 Assignment that you received in class today.
AND SOME REMINDERS...
1. For those of you in section 14, I would like to remind you (since I did not remember in class BUT did remember in section 16) to bring your Handbook to class on Wednesday. As you know, whenever something is due to be read, you bring that item to class. So again, this is merely a reminder. And as we have discussed, you can bring the actual Handbook or a laptop in order to access the material in class; of course you can print out a hard copy as well. There just could be a quiz...
2. If for some reason you have NOT viewed the TED talk, "The Year of Living Biblically," be sure to view it before coming to class on Wednesday.
3. As I explained in class, next Wednesday there will be no class. Please make the following changes on your course outline:
In Week Four, please move the activities for Wednesday the 21st to Monday, Sept 26th.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
English 20, Sections 14 & 16
Fall, 2011
Catherine Fraga, Instructor
Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible—VOICES AGAINST CONFORMITY
• Assigned: Monday, Sept. 12
• Rough Draft Due (OPTIONAL), typed & double spaced, no later than: Monday, Sept. 26
• Final Draft Due: Monday, October 3, typed & double spaced
***Note that you have two weeks to research and write this essay. Your final draft should reflect this.
Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.
The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where the students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.
For this essay, you will research and write about one person who is/was considered a non-conformist in his/her field of interest.
This topic allows for a wealth of flexibility and choice.
Your focus will be on a person working in an area (and time period in history) that you are most interested in: photography; art; literature; politics; film; music; fashion; science; mathematics; education; or ???
To get a better idea of some possibilities, and for purpose of illustration, let’s look at some examples of topics within in the time period of the 1950s in America.
Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.
Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.
Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others)
Likewise, many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others)
Also, according to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”
Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc)
No matter what non conformist you select to research, your essay must contain the following:
• a brief history of the country’s mood during this time period;
• background and details about the non-conformist you will focus on;
• how his/her work challenged the status quo;
• the impact of his/her work on others in the same field and on society;
• and the repercussions and influence felt today or what you predict WILL be the repercussions in the future.
Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will “prove” the person’s influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.
Things to Consider:
This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music, etc. of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, or listen to the work or material at great length.
Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period——why and how a person’s work was considered non conformist—and how their work influenced those living then…and now.
Your thesis might read something like this:
Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many visual artists at this time, particularly Jackson Pollack, successfully combated the blissful charade by using innovative methods and themes in his work.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Hello,
Below is the assignment for Packet 2, due to be completed by Monday, September 19th.
The first required reading is a 4 minute and 50 second interview that was recorded on National Public Radio in June of 2010.
1.) "Tackling America's Drug Addiction"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127937271
2.) "Confessions of a Mom (and a Former Teen Pothead)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/2010/10/19/130677774/confessions-from-a-mom-and-former-teen-pot-head
See you tomorrow in class.
Below is the assignment for Packet 2, due to be completed by Monday, September 19th.
The first required reading is a 4 minute and 50 second interview that was recorded on National Public Radio in June of 2010.
1.) "Tackling America's Drug Addiction"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127937271
2.) "Confessions of a Mom (and a Former Teen Pothead)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/2010/10/19/130677774/confessions-from-a-mom-and-former-teen-pot-head
See you tomorrow in class.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Second Posting for Thursday, Sept. 1
ALERT...ALERT...ALERT
Breaking Bad is now available in the bookstore, upstairs with the textbooks.
So we will keep to the original schedule on the course outline.
Again, enjoy the very long weekend.
Breaking Bad is now available in the bookstore, upstairs with the textbooks.
So we will keep to the original schedule on the course outline.
Again, enjoy the very long weekend.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Hello,
Several things to let you know!
First...following up on our discussion in class yesterday:
WHILE YOU ARE WATCHING BREAKING BAD, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU HAVE DECIDED WHICH CHARACTER YOU WILL FOLLOW MORE CLOSELY PERHAPS THAN ANY OTHER, I SUGGEST YOU THINK ABOUT OR RECORD THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS:
• What does this character do (and not do) and why?
• What do others think about your character? And how do you know?
• What motivates your character to do what he/she does?
• What influences this character to do what he/she does?
• What was your first impression of this character and does it change as you view new episodes? Why or why not? In which ways?
• What are this character’s goals, dreams, desires, needs? How do you know?
• Do you like this character? Why or why not?
• Is this character a believable one, a genuine one? Why or why not?
Second...
I have just left a message with the university bookstore about the Breaking Bad DVD. As soon as I hear back I will post information on the blog, hopefully later today.
Third...
Below you will find the reading/viewing assignment for Packet 1. It consists of two parts: one video to view on line and one article available on the Internet. I give you links to both. As stated in your course outline, these are due to be completed by class on Monday, Sept. 12. Be sure to bring a printed version of the article to class.
PACKET ONE ASSIGNMENT
Part One of Reading Packet One
This talk is an approximately 17 minute video presentation on TED talks. The link is below, as well as a short "blurb" about the speaker.
A. J. Jacobs, I believe, can be considered in the category of nonconformist. He certainly has a unique and interesting way of going about living and asking questions in order to live the best, most genuine life possible. Please arrive to class on Tuesday having viewed this presentation. I recommend that you take notes while viewing so you can recall key points for class discussion and for an in class writing response.
http://www.ted.com/talks/a_j_jacobs_year_of_living_biblically.html
A.J. Jacobs' writings stand at the intersection of philosophy, Gonzo journalism and performance art. Stubbornly curious and slyly perceptive, he takes immersive learning to its irrational and profoundly amusing extreme -- extracting wisdom and meaning after long stints as a self-styled guinea pig. For his widely circulated Esquire article, My Outsourced Life, he explored the phenomenon of outsourcing by hiring a team in Bangalore, India to take care of every part of his life -- from reading his emails to arguing with his wife to reading bedtime stories to his own son. A previous article, I Think You're Fat, chronicled a brief, cringe-inducing attempt to live his life in Radical Honesty, telling all the truth, all the time.
Jacobs is author of The Know-It-All, which documents the year he spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, uncovering both funny and surprising factoids but also poignant insight into history and human nature. In 2007 he released The Year of Living Biblically, he attempted to follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible for an entire year. His latest book, My Life as an Experiment, is a collection of numerous personal experiments including living according to George Washington's rules of conduct, outsourcing every single task to India, and posing as a woman on an online dating site.
"A. J. Jacobs has written about the Bible in a manner that is brilliantly funny but unerringly respectful, learned but goofy, deeply personal yet highly relevant. I am covetous and wish him smited."
Part Two of Reading Packet One
"Sweet Land of...Conformity?
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/06/sweet_land_of_conformity/
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