Memoir examples.

Here are two examples of well-written memoirs from past students:

• "Reality's Storm"
• "The Death of Innocence"
  

Q1, week 5 skedj.

Monday.
In class: BI ch. 10 & 11; introduce memoir assignment.
Homework: BI ch. 12, pp. 207-222 (15) and memoir proposal.

Day 2.
In class: Wrapping up Black Ice, including afterword.
Homework: Memoir first draft.

Day 3.
In class: Work time.
Homework: Complete memoir first draft.

Friday.
In class: Active vs. passive verbs.
Homework: Memoir peer edit.

Q1, week 4 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Individual exploration.
Homework: BI ch. 9, pp. 156-174 (18). Also, answer the following question in your notebook: How is Cary changing/developing? Address specific examples from the text; cite page numbers.

Day 2.
In class: Ch. 6-9 loose ends.
Homework: Part One of “Developing a Moment.” Also, bring two or three photos of yourself that depict a “moment.” (Candids work best.)

Day 3.
In class: “Developing a Moment” Part Two.
Homework: BI ch. 10, pp. 175-193 (19).

Friday.
In class: Effective discussion questions.
Homework: Read BI ch. 11 and generate an effective discussion question for it. Also, in your notebook, address one of the following questions from your class:

Block 5:

• What influenced Cary's change of tone at the beginning of ch. 10? How come she was suddenly talking like she "knew as precisely as a soldier where I belonged?" (Compare to previous chapters.)
• On p. 187 Cary describes herself as "numb with frozen rage." What exactly was she mad about and why? Who was she mad at?
• In what ways does Cary's new found responsibility as vice president affect the way in which people view or interact with her? What does this tell us of the importance of appearances?
  
• In what specific way does Cary change in her Sixth Form? Why do these changes bring some people closer and some further away?
  

Block 6:

• How does Cary's issue of not willing to trust affect her?
• While recollecting a practice for the evening recital, Cary states "I lost my place" (183). How does this idea of losing her place relate with common themes of Black Ice? Explain using examples from other texts.
• Taking into account themes such as the culture of power and belonging, go deeper into her statement on p. 186: "I applied, no doubt, to see inside the courtyard."
• What does Cary mean by saying "I took courage from her, as much as I dared, and yet I feared her" (196)?

Boy's Club: comical, but poignant.

A current events connection.

Why did Cary "deliberately avoid the word boys" on p. 84? The implications of this word are huge when taking into account the history of its use with regard to race in the United States. check out the following op-ed for a current events connection: "Boy, Oh, Boy."

Other related articles and op-ed:

• Obama Rejects Race as Lead Cause of Criticism
  
• No, It's Not About Race
  

A note on class discussions.

Much of what we do over the coming weeks and this year will involve class discussions, both large group and small. In order for these discussions to be productive, we need to know what makes a good conversation work. What does an ideal group discussion look like, sound like? Below are a few guidelines.

• Everyone contributes, not one person or any group of people dominates. In short, seek to achieve balance.
  
• Sticks to point. Mentions only relevant information and does so concisely.
• Covers specifics rather than general or vague points.
• Covers both breadth and depth.
• Has flow; goes somewhere. Arrives at a conclusion or new question.
• Cites page references; takes us into the text.
• Makes connections (intra-textual, inter-textual, personal, world, etc.) and draws conclusions--constellates.
  
• Allows for creativity.

Q1, week 3 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Personalizing, internalizing the Culture of Power.
Homework: Prep for Day 2 in-class essay*. (Revisit Kivel's "CoP" article, choose essay topic, and complete outline.)

*Topics: Using the ideas and language of Paul Kivel's "Culture of Power" article, either 1) deconstruct what Cary means when she says "we were there to turn it out" (59), or 2) analyze Cary's constant self-questioning (78-80).

Day 2.
In class: In-class essay (first 40 min. of class), chapter 4 discussion.
Homework: BI ch. 5, pp. 81-100 (20).

Day 3.
In class: Elements of an effective class discussion; ch. 5 metaphors.
Homework: BI ch. 6 & first half of 7, pp. 101-124 (24).

Friday.
In class: Chapter 6 debrief.
Homework: BI second half of ch. 7 & 8, pp. 125-155 (30).

A version of "Americanness."

Check out this recent feature on the New York Times "And the Pursuit of Happiness" blog: "I Life My Lamp Beside the Golden Door."

How does this compare with the ideas you set forth regarding American identity and literature? (Where do they intersect and overlap; where do they conflict and create tension?)

On the Black Arts Movement.

The Black Arts Movement (BAM) is the artistic branch of the Black Power movement. It was started in Harlem by writer and activist Amiri Baraka (born Everett LeRoy Jones). Time Magazine describes the Black Arts Movement as the “single most controversial moment in the history of African-American literature—possibly in American literature as a whole.”

The movement was one of the most important times in the African American literature. It inspired black people to establish their own publishing houses, magazines, journals and art institutions. It led to the creation of African American Studies programs within universities. The movement was triggered by the assassination of Malcolm X. Other well-known writers that were involved with this movement included Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Maya Angelou, and Rosa Grey. Although not strictly involved with the Movement, other notable African American writers such as novelists Toni Morrison and Ishmael Reed share some of its artistic and thematic concerns.

BAM influenced the world of literature, portraying different ethnic voices. Before the movement, the literary canon lacked diversity, and the ability to express ideas from the point of view of racial and ethnic minorities was not valued by the mainstream.

Q1, week 2 skedj.

Monday.

Labor Day; no school.

Day 2.

In class: The Culture of Power.

Homework: BI ch. 2, pp. 19-34 (16), read "How Dark? How Stormy? I Can't Recall."

Day 3.

In class: The Culture of Power (continued).

Homework: BI ch. 3, pp. 35-55 (21).

Friday.

In class: St. Paul's School case study.

Homework: BI ch. 4, pp. 56-80 (25). Also, note two or three examples of the culture of power in your own life. Come to class on Monday prepared to discuss.