Q & A: The Death of Languages

From the New York Times blog, "Schott's Vocab: A Miscellany of Modern Words and Phrases":

Q & A: The Death of Languages

PB's picks for winter break.

Books:

• White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
• Flight, Sherman Alexie
• Cruddy, Lynda Barry
• In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
• Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri
• The Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey
• The History of Love, Nicole Krauss
• The Road, Cormac McCarthy
• If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home & Going After Cacciato, Tim O’ Brien
• Netherland, Joseph O’Neill
• Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
• Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger
• Franny & Zooey, J.D. Salinger
• Old School, Tobias Wolff
• Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates

Music (albums):

• Merriweather Post Pavillion, Animal Collective
• Two Suns, Bat for Lashes
  
• Blood Bank, Bon Iver
• Us, Brother Ali
• My Maudlin Career, Camera Obscura
• Bitte Orca, The Dirty Projectors
• Album, Girls
  
• Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear
• Blood of Man, Mason Jennings
  
• A Strange Arrangement, Mayer Hawthorne
  
• Middle Cyclone, Neko Case
• Never Better, P.O.S.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix
• Far, Regina Spektor
• It’s Blitz!, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Movies (listed with director):

• Precious, Lee Daniels
• The Road, John Hillcoat
• A Serious Man, Joel & Ethan Coen
• Up, Pete Docter & Bob Peterson
• Up in the Air, Jason Reitman

Q2, week 7 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Finish The Things They Carried.
Homework: None.

Tuesday.
In class: Practice graded discussion.
Homework: None.

Wednesday - Friday.
No class; exams.

On women in combat.

• G.I. Jane Breaks the Combat Barrier
• Women in Combat: An American Story

"Mad beauty in unorthodoxy."

verisimilitude

the appearance of being true or real.
ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin verisimilitudo, from verisimilis ‘probable,’ from veri (genitive of verus ‘true’ ) + similis ‘like.’

Q2, week 6 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Steeped in symbolism.
Homework: "Speaking of Courage" & "Notes," pp. 137-161 (25).

Day 2.
In class: Norman Bowker.
Homework: "In the Field" & "Good Form," pp. 162-180 (19).

Day 3.
In class: "I have a story that will make you believe in [war]." (With debt and gratitude to Yann Martel.)
Homework: "Field Trip" & "Night Life," pp. 181-188, 219-224 (15).

Friday.
In class: TBD.
Homework: "The Lives of the Dead," pp. 225-246 (22).

"The Things They Carried" acronyms and other terms.

AK-47: automatic assault rifle
AO: area of operation
ARVN: Armed Republic of Vietnam or Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Booby-trapped 105 round: artillery round that proved a dud or misfired, then set to explode if touched
C-130: a large aircraft cargo plane
CO: conscientious objector (one who for religious or other valid reasons did not serve)
CID: intelligence people
Claymore: a type of mine
EM Club: Enlisted Men’s Club
HE: high explosive
KIA: killed in action
LP: listening patrol
LZ (Gator): landing zone (each had a code name for the location)
M-16 and M60: automatic rifle and machine gun
MIA: missing in action
MP: Military Police
NCO: Non-commissioned Officer
NVA buildup: North Vietnamese assault buildup
Psy Ops leaflets: psychological operations (warfare) leaflets
RTO: Regimental Training Officer, or Radio Technical Officer
SOP: standard operating procedures
Toe Poppers and Bouncing Betties: land mines
VC: Vietcong
Willie Peter: white phosphorous (a form of firepower, ignites easily and quickly)

Q2, week 5 skedj.

Monday.
In class: "Love" & "Spin."
Homework: "On the Rainy River," pp. 39-61 (23).

Day 2.
In class: Courage and cowardice.
Homework: "Enemies," through "The Dentist" pp. 62-88 (27).

Day 3.
In class: "What's the use of a [war] story if it's not even true?" (With debt and gratitude owed to Salman Rushdie.)
Homework: "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," pp. 89-116 (28).

Friday.
In class: In-class essay.
Homework: "Stockings" through "Style," pp. 117-136 (20).

Q2, week 4 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Begin The Things They Carried.
Homework: Finish "The Things They Carried," pp. 1-26 (26).

Tuesday.
In class: Repetition and tone.
Homework: In your notebook, list examples of paradox, oxymoron, and irony from title chapter.

Wednesday - Friday.
No school, Thanksgiving break.

First FLASH meeting.

The first FLASH meeting will be at 3:00 this Friday, Nov. 20 in the Alumnae Room. FLASH is the Upper School's annual literary journal. Editors, writers, poets, and self-proclaimed book nerds are encouraged to attend to plan activities and publications for the year. Email FLASH advisor Eric Hansen with questions.

Q2, week 3 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Rising action and climax.
Homework: Act 2, scenes 4 & 5; pp. 80-101 (22).

Day 2.
In class: The effects of Troy's shadow.
Homework: Thesis and 2-3 supporting quotations for Harmond & Troy: A Juxtaposition of "Big Men" essay.

Day 3.
In class: Wrapping up Fences.
Homework: Essay.

Friday.
In class: Writing day.
Homework: Essay. due before class Monday via Turn It In.

"Fences" to return to Broadway, Denzel to play Troy.

Last July, Radio Golf, the final play in August Wilson’s epic, 10-play cycle about the black experience in America, closed on Broadway. And now plans are in the works to bring back Fences, his portrait of a bitter and resentful former baseball player and ex-convict in 1957 Pittsburgh, which will be the second revival of a Wilson play on Broadway. Read the full New York Times article here: "Broadway Comeback is Planned for August Wilson's Fences."

Also, check out "Denzel Washington to return to Broadway" from the L.A. Times.

About "Homerun" Hank.

“Trying to throw a fastball by Henry Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster.” — Curt Simmons

Exhibiting an understated style that became his trademark, Hank Aaron became the all-time home run champion via one of the most consistent offensive careers in baseball history, with 3,771 hits. In addition to his 755 home runs, he also holds major league records for total bases, extra-base hits and RBI. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP, won three Gold Gloves for his play in right field and was named to a record 24 All-Star squads. —From the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.

Authentic dialogue, with accents.

A question came up in class the other day about accents in theater. I mentioned something about striving for authenticity as opposed to parody or stereotype. That night I came across a New Yorker article on the broader subject of authentic speech in films and theater. Below is the first paragraph. Read the full article here: "Talk This Way".

Tim Monich taught Brad Pitt to talk like he was from somewhere deep in the mountains of Tennessee. He taught Matt Damon to speak as if he were South African, and Hilary Swank to speak like Amelia Earhart. In early September, having nearly finished teaching Gerard Butler, who is Scottish, to speak as if he were from New York, for “The Bounty,” Monich began teaching Shia LeBeouf to speak as if he grew up on Long Island, for Wall Street 2.” Much of Monich’s movie work involves getting Northerners to speak like Southerners, and much of his theatre work involves teaching Americans to deliver lines from Shakespeare or Shaw.

Supplements to "Fences."

• MPR: Interview with Penumbra Artistic Director Lou Bellamy.
• New York Times: "August Wilson, Theater's Poet of Black American, Dead at 60."
• NPR: "Intersections: August Wilson, Writing to the Blues."
• MPR: "August Wilson's African-American Century."
• Below, scenes from the 2008 Penumbra production of Fences. From left to right: Rose & Troy; Rose & Cory (foreground) and Troy & Gabriel (background); Troy.

Q2, week 2 skedj.

Monday.
In class: From the page to the stage--inhabiting the role.
Homework: Act 1, Scenes 2 & 3; pp. 21-40 (20).

Day 2.
In class: Wrestling with the Devil and Death (internal conflict) and rising tension (external conflict).
Homework: Act 1, Scene 4; pp. 41-58 (18).

Day 3.
In class: Troy's back story.
Homework: Beef up annotations, read The Great Migration.

Friday.
In class: At the plate with two strikes.
Homework: Act 2, Scenes 1-3; pp. 59-79 (21).

Q2, week 1 skedj.

Monday.
In class: An intelligent discussion re: movement.
Homework: What becomes of the characters?

Day 2.
In class: Wrapping up Radio Golf.
Homework: Just the intro (due Friday).

Day 3.
In class: Thesis statements.
Homework: Just the intro (due Friday).

Friday.
In class: Contextualizing Fences.
Homework: Fences Act 1, Scene 1; pp. 1-20 (20).

At the table.

I saw this in the New Yorker and it reminded me of Radio Golf.

Q & A with Lorene Cary.

You had questions, she had answers. Check it out here: Q & A with Cary.

Q1, week 9 skedj.

Monday.

In class: Begin Radio Golf.
Homework: Radio Golf, pp. 7-28 (22). Also, discussion rubric due Friday.

Day 2.
In class: Golf, slot machines, and other metaphors.

Homework: Radio Golf, pp. 29-46 (18).

Day 3.
In class: The past and its influence.

Homework: Radio Golf, pp. 46-66 (21).

Friday. (End of quarter one.)
In class: Lawfully right vs. morally right (continued).

Homework: Radio Golf, pp. 66-81 (15).

"Expand[ing] the versatile adjective 'American.'"

The New York Times reports that three of the five candidates for this year's National Book Award in the fiction category were not born in this country; two of those three live abroad. Who will it be? The Dubliner turned New Yorker? The Ugandan-British Yank? The Pakistani-American? Read the full article: "American Literature: Words Without Borders."

Radio Golf blog post.

In an efficient and effective paragraph, make an intelligent literary observation about the play. This could address anything from set design to characterization to theme to dialogue. For example:

• Address how setting helps to develop the characters Harmond and Roosevelt.
• Address what the characterizations of Harmond and Roosevelt teach us about the evolution of racism and classism in America.
• Address in what ways this staging of the play seeks to represent the American Dream.

These are just examples. You're free to choose one of them, but are encouraged to come up with something entirely on your own. This will count as a Gem grade.

Q1, week 8 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Comic Life project work time.
Homework: Comic Life project. Also, read Radio Golf study guide before Wednesday's play.

Tuesday (block 5)/Thursday (block 6).
In class: Comic Life project work time.
Homework: Comic Life project.

Wednesday.
In class: Radio Golf at Penumbra in the a.m. Classes will not meet in the afternoon. Suggestions for how to use this time:

• Go to classes you missed or to catch up with teachers whose classes you missed.
• Work on your Comic Life project. I'll have laptops available in my classroom.

Homework: Comic Life project. Also, complete Radio Golf blog post by Monday of next week. (See post above.)

Friday.
In class: Radio Golf debrief.
Homework: Complete Comic Life project.

Comic Life project examples.

• "The True Test": comic | didactic
• "Manly Man": comic | didactic
• "The Life & Times of MC Meow": comic | [no didactic]

American Born Backstreet Boys.

Chin-Kee in Hollywood.

The news piece below is especially intriguing and relevant after having just read American Born Chinese and discussed racial and cultural stereotypes and caricatures.


Excerpt:
Long Duk Dong was the foreign-exchange student, fresh from some unidentified Asian country, in the popular 1984 high-school comedy Sixteen Candles—comic relief in a movie with more than its share of slapstick.

When we launched In Character, we set out to explore fictional characters who had left a mark on American culture. The mark Long Duk Dong left was more of a stain: To some viewers, he represents one of the most offensive Asian stereotypes Hollywood ever gave America.

Read (or listen) to the full segment here: Long Duk Dong: Last of the Hollywood Stereotypes?

Also worth checking out: NPR: "Are Positive Stereotypes Racist, Too?"

Q1, week 7 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Stereotypes and socialization (continued).
Homework: Finish ABC.

Tuesday.
In class: Wrapping up ABC.
Homework: Story board Comic Life project.

Wednesday & Thursday.
No class, conferences.

Friday.
No school.

Weekend blog post: Does acknowledging a stereotype perpetuate it?

Address the question above in one to two thoughtful and articulate paragraphs. Your sentences should be complete and grammatically, mechanically sound.

To avoid losing your work and having to start over, I suggest typing first in a Word document and then copying and pasting into the blog comment field.

Why graphic novels are relevant.

New York Times Magazine: The Visual Language of Graphic Novels.

Growing Up Chinese, Graphically.

Gene Luen Yang, high school teacher and cartoonist, spoke with National Public Radio about his graphic novel, American Born Chinese, the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award. Listen to the program and view an audio slide show at:
Growing Up Chinese, Graphically.

Also worth checking out from Gene Yang:

• Masters thesis: Comics in Education.
  
• a graphic art math lesson on factoring: Factoring with Mr. Yang & Mosley the Alien.
• New York Times Magazine "Funny Pages" feature: "Prime Baby."
  

Graphic novels glossary of terms and ABC allusions.

Graphic novel lingo:

• panel: a box which contains a given scene (box, frame).
• border: the outline of the panel.
• gutters: the space between panels.
• tier: row of panels (left to right) on page.
• balloons: the container of the text- dialogue spoken by the characters.
• tail: pointer leading from balloon to speaker.
• gesture: human movement or expression.
• posture: attitude of the body.

ABC allusions:

• Journey to the West (also known as Monkey King): the third of the Four Great Classical novels of Chinese literature. (The other three are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Chamber.) The Four Great Classical Novels are considered to be the pinnacle of China's achievement in classical novels, influencing the creation of many stories, theater, movies, games, and other entertainment throughout East Asia including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
  
• The lion, the human, the ox, and the eagle: references to the cardinal directions; perhaps thought to be Biblical allusions as well.

Q1, week 6 skedj.

Monday.
In class: Memoir peer-edit.
Homework: Memoir final draft.

Day 2.
In class: How to read a graphic novel. Begin American Born Chinese, pp. 1-84 (84).
Homework: Memoir final draft.

Day 3.
In class: Stereotypes and socialization.
Homework: ABC pp. 85-160 (76) and blog post. See Weekend blog post above.

Friday.
Legacy Day; no classes.

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.

Q1, week 1 skedj.

Monday.
Faculty workshop day; no school.

Day 2.
In class: Poem.
Homework: Letter home, syllabus, and This Boy’s Life (TBL) questions.

Day 3.
In class: Course logistics; Toby's poses and self-creation.
Homework: One page (typed or hand-written) exploring the following questions:

• What does “American” identity mean to you?
• Thematically, what do you think is meant by “American” Literature? What do you think are its defining characteristics?

Friday.
In class: Memoir defined; fact, fiction, and truth.
Homework: Read and annotate Black Ice (BI) foreword and ch. 1, pp. 3-18 (16).

* BEGIN 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR *

Gatsby final exam.

If I were to give a final exam on Gatsby, which I'm not, some of the questions below might end up on it as short answer essay options. I thought you might like to see them. (You know, because you absolutely love learning.) Peruse and post comments if you are inclined to do so.

Characters & Characterization.

• Who is the most affable character in the book? Why?
• How has Nick matured by the end of the novel?
• Why does Nick “like” but ultimately disapprove of Gatsby?
• Who is the “hero” of the novel? Is there a hero?
• The novel is a tragedy, and ultimately, Gatsby is a tragic character. Why?
• Which characters seem to “have it all”? Do they really?
  

Theme & Symbol.

• What kind of world does the novel portray? Who succeeds—or rather, “survives"—in this world? Why?
• Why are characters who seem to have it all often desperate and immoral? How does this reflect the notion of the American Dream and specifically, the importance of money and material wealth?
• What, then, do you think the Fitzgerald is saying about the American Dream?
• Who—or rather, what—killed Gatsby? (Think beyond the literal; investigate on a figurative level.)
• Gatsby dies by the pool. Why? Wilson dies in the garden. Why?
• The novel begins at the end of spring/beginning of summer. Gatsby meets Daisy in the fall. Gatsby dies in the fall. So, who cares? Why is any of this significant?

Beyond the text.

• Gatsby is a novel of the 1920s, but how might is it also be a novel of today?
• Why do you think Fitz named it The Great Gatsby? Was Gatsby “great”? (At one point, Fitzgerald considered the title Under the Red, White, and Blue. Why?)
• Some have cited the novel as the “Great American Novel.” Do you agree or disagree? Why? What is distinctly “American” about it?

Gatsby passage analysis resources.

• Essay assignment sheet.
• Helpful hints.
• Example essay.
• Sample paper (formatting).

Symposium assignment.

In a blog post, address the following question regarding Wednesday's Symposium:

How did Regina Marie Williams performance as Zora Neale Hurston in Jump at the Sun change your understanding of, appreciate for, or overall perspective on Their Eyes Were Watching God?

Remember to include your name in the body of the blog comment.

Due: Monday, May 18.

Gatsby and the American Dream.

• A recent New York Times article: "Gatsby's Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers."
• An interactive Minnesota Public Radio feature: "Preserving the American Dream."
• A Symbol of the American Dream: Buy the One Million Dollar Bill for only $9.50!

Gatsby on Google Maps.

Click photos to enlarge.


Long Island.


Great Neck (West Egg) & Port Washington (East Egg).


The "eggs" up close.


Gatsby Lane. (No joke.)


The green light at the end of the dock?

Roaring Twenties Reinvented.

Watch this:


Then this:

Bike-to-School Challenge 2009.

Wednesday. Block 1 vs. Block 2. The class with the most students who bike to school wins something yet to be determined. Could be some bonus points, could be bagels and juice, could be an endless supply of gum for the rest of the year. And here's an addition catch, anyone who bikes 10+ miles will be counted double.

Cisneros coming to Mpls.

Sandra Cisneros will be the next guest in MPR's literary series, Talking Volumes, in which well-known authors talk about their work with host Keri Miller. Cisnero's will talk about the 25th anniversary of The House on Mango Street, her acclaimed novella of a young girl growing up in the Latino section of Chicago. She will also discuss her new projects, including a collection of fiction titled Infinito and Writing in My Pajamas, a book on how she teaches writing.

Event Info.
7pm, Tuesday, April 21 at Washburn High School.
* More info and tickets here: Cisneros on Talking Volumes.

The American (Literary?) Landscape.

This morning I came across an interesting New York Times interactive feature, "Remade in America: The Newest Immigrants and their Impact," which traces immigration trends over the course of the 20th century. Given our interest in the "American identity" and its "defining characteristics," the feature might help us to ask--if not answer--some questions regarding the ever so elusive "landscape of American Literature." (The quoted phrases reference the first paragraph in the class syllabus.)

Bonus Point Opp:

• Check out the interactive feature and then post a comment below in which you pose an open-ended discussion question that somehow connects the immigration trend of the map to our study of American lit.
• Or, in a few sentences, answer a question that someone else has already posed.

For many of you (if not for me) this may be a cognitive stretch, but I'm willing to risk it.

Bringing grammar back; now that's good news.

There's hope for the semi-colon after all. Read why here: Celebrating the Semi-Colon in a Most Unlikely Location.

"Will faithfully execute," or "will execute faithfully"?

Chief Justice Roberts' flub of the Oath of Office at Tuesday's inauguration has been attributed to his grammar hang up. Read about it in the New York Times: "Oaf of Office."

More on Inaugural poetry.

Check out Elizabeth Alexander's inaugural poem, "Praise Song for the Day" in both text and video, and watch her pre-inauguration interview on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Also, from NPR.com: "We have commissioned some of the nation's most renowned poets to write their own inaugural poems. The real inaugural poems have usually been serious and sweeping affairs. But not so for [this] exercise. From lyrics to limericks, raps to rhymes, [these] poets express what the inauguration means to them—in verse."

Read about and hear all of the poems here: "Inaugural Poetry 2009."