English 210: Major Essay #2 and Extra Credit

Just a quick reminder that the final copy of your major essay #2 over The Glass Menagerie or World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is due on Friday, December 19 by midnight to turnitin.com

Don’t forget about the writing conference extra credit either.  Check the documents and handouts page for details.

Also, we’ll be watching a film for extra credit Tuesday evening.  Check back for more details (waiting on room confirmation, etc.).

English 210: “WWZ” Reading Troubles and General Announcements

As you’re reading “Home Front, USA” and “Around the World, and Above,” post any questions you might have here.  Maybe we can all benefit from a little discussion before we come to class.

Looking ahead: don’t forget about the warm-up essay for World War Z; it’s posted on the documents and handouts page.

And, don’t forget about the updated reading and assignment schedule because of the snow day.

Finally, I’ve received a few emails here and there about missing papers.  At this point in the semester, you should have received graded copies of warm-up essay one and two as well as the first major essay in your BHSU email inbox.  If you do have any of these graded papers, please email me ASAP, so I can get them to you.

English 210: “WWZ” reading troubles?

WWZ’s setting is global, and sometimes the cultural references Brooks makes can be difficult to follow.  As you are reading “The Great Panic” and “Turning the Tide” for Tuesday, November 25, pose your questions in the comments section here.  I’ll do my best to answer them over the weekend.

Lit: Essay Help

I hope you all have started working on this larger essay project; you’ll be more successful if you work on this essay in smaller sections at a time rather than all at once the night before.

I’d like to help you get started on this essay, so I’ve pasted a chart below that might help you conceptualize the structure of this paper assignment.  The success of this essay hinges on definitions: define a theme, define the literary or poetic devices you plan to work with, describe the analytical tools you plan to use to pick apart short fiction, etc.  You must define all of these things before you begin to analyze short fiction.

Also, you are encouraged to recycle the first two warm up essays from this semester.

Remember, it’s only one theme but three different pieces of short fiction.

Paper Parts

· Introduction o Name the three texts you plan to work with o Thesis statement that articulates the argument and how you will make the argument

· Theme paragraph o Define the theme that you plan to use to analyze the short stories and poems

· “Launch” paragraph o Define how you’re going to apply this theme to the short fiction o Define any literary or poetic devices you might use o Expand on how you’re going to apply your thesis

· Begin your analysis o Keep each paragraph focused on one idea: one literary device, one poetic device, or part of the theme you’re working with

Lit: More Movies (and Darth Vader)!

I received a positive response to the “Harrison Bergeron” post, so I poked around YouTube and found a few more videos that are relevant to our short fiction unit.

Click “read more” to get started.

English 210: Student from Sunday Afternoon

One of you left me a message via Meebo Sunday afternoon with a question about “Greasy Lake.”  There wasn’t a name, so I couldn’t respond before the student went offline.

Click “read more” to for my response.

English 210: Warm-Up Essay

Thanks for all the great questions in class today about your first short writing assignment.  In order to assist all of you, I thought that I’d just post some of the guidelines from today’s PowerPoint here.

Click “read more” to get started!

English 210: “The Things They Carried”

Thanks for staying for an extra minute today!  One of your class mates asked for a copy of the chart I used in class today, so here it is: download as .xls or download as a .pdf.  It’s not complete by any means, but it might give you a starting point for analysis if you plan to work with this story.

Lit.: Writing Instruction

As you are probably more than aware, you’ll be writing four shorter papers and two larger projects this semester.  You will also take some essay exams in this course.  In other words, you’ll need to know the basics of writing in order to succeed in this course.

English 210: Reminders from the first day of class

Thanks for laughing at all my corny jokes this morning.  In case you didn’t catch all the important stuff during your fits of hysterical laughter, here are a few reminders.  By next Tuesday, September 9, be sure that you:

• read the six word stories (click here to access them).
• complete your short writing assignment: after you read all the six word stories, define literature and then determine whether or not these six word stories are literature.
• print a copy of the syllabus and the first homework schedule (both are available on the documents page).

If you can, try to register with turnitin.com (directions available on the documents and handouts page).  If you’re not registered by next Tuesday, no worries.

Like always, if you have any questions about class, stop by during office hours or send me an email.  You’re also welcome to leave your questions in the comments section of this post.

Thanks.