Writing Across Cultures

When we write we should be trying to make a point or explain an observation about the human condition as it relates to ourselves and our characters or fictional world. In 100 Years of Solitude the themes of time and solitude (isolation) (see previous posts) are central to understanding the point of this book. By considering these themes, we, as readers and students, can at least try to grasp what Marquez is trying to teach or tell us about ourselves as human beings. Ah, the power of literature! The novel's central theme is solitude or human isolation. The Buendia Family, as our protagonists, represent the human condition. Protagonists usually represent the common man or woman (Everyman). Critics have noted that the Beundias "are solitary individuals living together as strangers in the same house. As such, they personify the predicament of the human race." Other themes include fate . An individual in this book is not free to control his/her own destiny....

Gabriel García Márquez does not number his chapters in this book. A reader may wonder why? Perhaps this is the author's way of making us notice time. You do not necessarily notice your life passing day by day. Taken into consideration the flow of human experience we notice that which is important or life altering, but the days themselves slip fluidly away. This experience is likely to become more pronounced as your life continues. The bewilderment of the older generation looking back and saying: "where did my life go?" is a very human experience. An author not using the traditional fiction conventions draws attention to a work. Without chapters readers think of a book as a single entity. In 100 Years of Solitude Marquez presents us with twenty unmarked subdivisions (chapters) that are "not [treated] as discrete segments but interlinked members in a unitary whole: one text." The work is fluid, with descriptive, detail-filled paragraphs interspersed with...

Solitude is a state of isolation or lack of contact. It may stem from bad relationships, deliberate choice, diseases or mental illness or circumstances of employment or situation--for example being shipwrecked as a castaway on a LOST island. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think or rest without being disturbed. A distinction can be made between physical and mental seclusion. People may seek physical seclusion to remove distractions and make it easier to concentrate, reflect, or meditate. Solitude and loneliness are not the same thing, although similar. In this sense solitude is positive. As humans we all need a little solitude now and then, as well as socialization. Teenagers especially need time alone, but also are very social (as you experience every day--usually during a lecture class). In terms of South America the concept of solitude is at once something peaceful--like dusk in Summer, but is also something intangibly sad. This concept b...

After our set up for today's lesson, please retire to the library lab and work on your portfolio . 1. Create an imaginary setting and place a story there. Use contemporary fantasy or magical realism in your story. 2. Revise and re-edit any single piece of your previous writing. Most of these pieces needed further development. 3. Write a poem/script/story about Argentina or Columbia. Research these places more fully than we have in class, and set your work there. To develop a story, consider what you've included as plot. Try rearranging plot to make the story more unique.  Your protagonist should be interesting, motivated to act (that's what protagonists do!), and developed fully as round or dynamic characters through characterization: a character's dialogue, what other characters say about the protagonist, what actions, what thoughts the character has.  Get into the mind of your protagonist. What is the protagonist thinking?  Develop setting and consider mood t...

Authors often use a well designed or imagined fictional setting for many of their stories. A writer who writes a series of work in a specific place is called a "regional writer." Stephen King's Castlerock, Ray Bradbury's Green Bluff, Illinois, and Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha county are examples. Like Dorothy, you don't need to look beyond your back door for an interesting setting--but you may want to. Macondo is draws from García Márquez's childhood town, Aracataca . Aracataca is located near the north (Caribbean) coast of Colombia , 80 km South of Santa Marta . Macondo was originally the name of banana plantation, and literally means "banana" in the Bantu language. In June 2006, the people of Aracataca organized a referendum to change the name of the town to Aracataca Macondo. Although the yes vote won, the referendum failed because of lack of voters and Aracataca kept its traditional name. The town first appears in García Márquez...

Thank you to all who turned in your portfolios on time with all the required materials. Some quick observations: 1. Good job, overall with the tv scripts. Many of these were very funny and well done. 2. OMG! It's time for a little grammar lesson--mainly because you can't leave high school doing these stupid elementary mistakes: Its (is a possessive pronoun) It's (is a contraction; it means it is...) Your (is a possessive pronoun) You're (is a contraction; it means you are...) Then/than . THEN is an adverb. It indicates time or sequence (next) THAN is a conjunction often used after comparative adjectives or adverbs. Periods end sentences. Proofread your work and pay attention to when your sentence stops. Put a period there. Punctuation goes INSIDE a set of quotation marks (not outside).  A semi-colon connects two INDEPENDENT clauses or sentences. If either sentence is not a complete sentence, you can't (can not) put a semi-colon there. Microsoft wo...

Please check Mr. Bodensteiner's blog for the agenda and instructions.  LABWORK: Hint fiction projects to be worked on in the computer lab. HOMEWORK: Read the rest of chapter 2 (ends at page 40).  How is the scene between Jose Arcadio and Pilar (pages 28-30) an example of magical realism?

Please check out Mr. Bodensteiner's blog for the agenda and specific details. HOMEWORK: Check out the Gabriel Garcia Marquez link and learn at least 3 things about this guy that you find interesting or important. Hand in your 3 items next class.

Please refer to Mr. Bodensteiner's blog for today's agenda. In any case, good luck with Senior Exit Interviews and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Your portfolios are due Nov. 28. Please prepare them. HOMEWORK: Portfolio (and anything else Mr. Bodensteiner wishes you to complete)

Magical Realism qualities/features: Fantastic elements juxtaposed with reality or ordinary life Dream-like events/sequences A sense of infinity. Stories play with cause and effect (plot), or time. Often there is a chronological disruption reflecting infinity. Stories and/characters have a quality of the carnival-esque Characters often don't react or notice supernatural events (they often don't question why something happens, but dwell on minute details). This lack of shock therefore transfers to the reader Stories often have the quality of metafiction (rules of fiction are broken or self referenced) Stories often include irony and symbolism Metaphor is often made literal Stories often have complex, labyrinthine plots Ordinary life becomes "special" or "extraordinary" by defamiliarizing reality Themes include: solitude, borders, change/transformation and are a mix of reality and fantasy

Please refer to Mr. Bodensteiner's blog for agenda items. HOMEWORK: Continue to work on your portfolios.

Please check Mr. Bodensteiner's blog at writingacrossculturessota.blogspot.com . While he is teaching the class, please refer to this website for our class notes and agenda. REMINDER: Your portfolio (with your television script and horror/mystery/suspense story) is due Nov. 28. Information about Jorges Luis Borges and Julio Cortazar can be found here. Borges interview video (subtitled). HOMEWORK: Please read Cortazar's Continuity of Parks .

Reminder:  keep writing your tv script (due with portfolio on Nov. 28) After today's class, you are free to write a mystery/suspense or horror story. You may have already done this. Today, Mr. Bodensteiner will take over the class. We are beginning our foray into World Literature, starting with South America and Magical Realism. HOMEWORK: Work on portfolio, Read: A Yellow Flower by Julio Cortazar.

Horror Writing Tips Horror used to be a big market in publishing. It's died off in the past few years (pun intended), but still has a loyal readership. The Vampire novel, for example, still rises again and again to the best seller list. Most horror readers are guys and/or adolescents. Girls tend to like paranormal, which is an off-shoot of the genre (often involving sparkling vampires and soft-core sex scenes or romance). Horror readers want to experience the fast-pulsed fear and adrenaline that goes with a good scare. If you fail to provide this, you might as well have written a cook-book.  1. Setting and strong characters are essential. Much of a horror story is atmosphere created by careful diction (word choice) and texture (details). Imagery plays a strong role here, although the writing shouldn't be too literary. 2. Your protagonist should be facing an appropriate and equally strong, if not stronger, antagonist. If the monster or threat does not overpower your p...

Our first coffeehouse presentation is tonight at 7:00. All are welcome to come and read. Refreshments and coffee, of course, will be served. Bring your friends and family. Use the lab today to work on your tv scripts. Focus and write. Don't waste time. HOMEWORK/PORTFOLIO: Read the articles "No Bones About It: How to Write Horror" and "Creating a Character for Horror" as handouts. Use this excellent writing advice to create a horror/suspense story for your portfolio. Portfolios are due Nov. 28.

Today please work on your TV Script project while in the lab. Use this time in the lab to get your writing done. All scenarios and character cards should be complete. Do not waste your time. If you need a break (also homework, see below) please post a forum comment about the horror/suspense novel you are reading. Please post under post #2. HOMEWORK: Please read the essay "A World of Dark and Disturbing Ideas" & "Darkening the Mood". Feel free to write a horror/suspense story for your portfolio (which is due Monday, Nov. 28.) Post a forum response to the book you are reading. This should be your second post concerning the book.

Unlike film, television is not subtle. In movies, major plot points may happen off-screen, and key characters may ponder over big decisions in relative silence. Not so in TV! Like a theatrical script, characters usually talk out their problems with other characters. If they are hot or cold or sad or angry, they say so. In television almost nothing is left open for interpretation. Major plot points always play out on-screen, in full view of the viewing audience. One great tip to remember about TV writing is that at any moment a viewer can choose to turn off the program or change the channel. This is not easily done in film (DVD's are an exception), and impossible in a play--apart from walking away or leaving the theater or cinema. That means you can't afford to be coy or aloof with your meaning. Tell it like it is, but tell it with everything you've got. If you bore your audience, they turn the channel. One of the ways television writers keep their audience hooked ...

Here are a few terms and important key elements to any television or film script: TEASER : a teaser is usually the hook or inciting incident that appears just before the first commercial break and/or the main title sequence for the episode. Each new scene is indicated by a SLUG LINE . This lets the director, actors, and tech crew know where you have set the scene and what time of day or lighting is needed for the scene. Each time you change location you need a new SLUG LINE. Slug lines include: INT or EXT (interior or exterior), location, and morning, day, afternoon, evening, dusk, or night. See script format for more details. An ACTION BLOCK is where you can fill in details for your location, and explain what your characters are doing. Action is always written in present tense, and follows standard rules of capitalization and punctuation (i.e., no fragments here, folks! Proofread!) Any time a character is named, use ALL CAPS to indicate the character is in the scene. If yo...

Today, after your journal exercise, we'll take a look at some tv scripting advice. Once you get in your television writing teams, please complete the following during period 1. Together, for each MAJOR character in your series, create a white index card with their name, short physical description, and personality description. Together, do the same for minor characters. For the episode you are writing, working by yourself add any specific characters you are likely to need. Together, brainstorm and create a season of 6 episodes (the BBC standard). On one side of the index card (a total of 6 of them) write out the premise and basic plot of the episode in what is called a LOG LINE. On that same side, name the characters that will appear in the episode. A logline is a one-sentence summary of your script. It's a short blurb in TV guides that tells you what a movie or show is about that helps you decide if you're interested in seeing it. It's the hook that will ge...

Please read the pop culture essay "The Contagious Age" and respond to it in your journal. After writing Jenee has a Powerpoint presentation she'd like to give. We will then screen the pilot episodes of The Tick , a clip from Lost , and a clip from Star Trek . As you watch please note the formatting for a television program. At the end of our screening, please read the article "Joke's on Us: Reality TV" and respond to the article. Television writing project reexplained. Where do Ideas Come From: Rod Sterling How to Write a Television Script 1. Groups of 2-5 2. Choose a genre of TV film; decide if you are writing a 1/2 hour or hour program. No reality film projects please. These are not scripted the same way. 3. Tips about writing for TV. 4. Create a cast of characters (lead, guest, and supporting characters) for your show  5. Create a series of show ideas on index cards. You will need one per writer in your group. HOMEWORK: Please continue ...

Today, in the library and lab, please do the following: 1. Post a mid-read response to the suspense/horror book you chose from the library to our forum. Discuss how it's going for you so far. What do you think of the book or collection? What is keeping you reading (if anything)? What have you noticed about the plot, character, theme, setting, etc. or the writer's style? What have you learned about writing from reading the book so far? 2. Get together in groups of 2-5. Brainstorm (to hand in) ideas for a television show that your group will like to pilot. You can pick any genre or length, from sit com (22 minutes) to an hour (48 minutes). 3. Check out television scripts at the link page to the left. The Daily Script is here as well. 4. Check out the television script formatting on the link page to the left. HOMEWORK: Aim to finish your chosen suspense/horror book by early next week. Read any of the television scripts on the webpage link.

Today are our last day to present for the pop culture presentations. Please be cognizant of time, barring any unforeseen circumstances. If we have time, I will talk to you about portfolios. HOMEWORK: Keep reading your selected horror/suspense book. You should aim to finish this by the end of the week or the beginning of next week at the latest.

Today we will continue delivering our Pop Culture Presentations. Students who are absent or unwilling or unable to deliver their projects will have Monday ONLY to deliver their project presentation. Students who do not deliver their presentations will lose participation credit and may risk failing the marking period. Please turn in your late portfolio today, if you have not yet done so. No portfolios will be taken AFTER Friday. HOMEWORK: Please continue reading your selected novel.

Today, we will begin delivering presentations. Please note that your reflective essay portion of your project should be slipped into your portfolio along with your MLA Works Cited page. If you have not yet done so, plan on choosing a Stephen King (or contemporary horror/mystery) book from the library and begin reading for our next unit after television. Please sign up on the sheet passed around today to tell me which book you have chosen. HOMEWORK: Read your chosen book.

Your portfolios and projects are due next class. This is your last day in the marking period to use the lab during class to complete your portfolio and pop culture project. Please have visual aides and materials ready to present to the class on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Some reminders about your portfolio: 1. You should have printed and ready to hand in your portfolio for Tuesday, Oct. 11. Please do not expect to print out your work during class. Come to class prepared! 2. Your portfolio should have a  reflective essay discussing the items you have included in the portfolio. This is similar to your previous creative writing portfolios in the past. Remember 9 & 10th grade. Specifically, this is the time and place to let me know if you want specific feedback on your work. 3. Check the portfolio rubric. Pop Culture Project 1. You must include an MLA formatted works cited page with your reflective essay. 2. The essay (3 or more pages, double spaced) should examine the details and...

Today during period one, please complete the quiz and discussion for Jennifer Government . Rate your group leader; group leaders rate your group participants. When you have completed your discussion, please retire to the library lab for the following assignments: 1. Write a response to the novel Jennifer Government on the forum. (see link to the right of this screen) 2. Work on your presentations. 3. Work on your portfolio. The portfolio is due Tuesday, Oct. 11. We will be in the library Thursday the entire class.

The original Star Trek , created by Gene Roddenberry, debuted in 1966 and ran for three seasons, following the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Federation Starship Enterprise. These adventures were continued in an animated television series and six feature films. Four more television series were produced, based in the same universe but following other characters: Star Trek: The Next Generation , following the crew of a new Starship Enterprise set several decades after the original series; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager set contemporaneously with The Next Generation ; and Star Trek: Enterprise , set in the early days of human interstellar travel. Four additional feature films were produced, following the crew of The Next Generation , and most recently a 2009 movie reboot of the series featuring a young crew of the original Enterprise set in a parallel universe. Check here for the "official" Star Trek web...

Television originally was meant to be a radio with visual projection capabilities. However, TV has changed American culture in many ways. Here are some details about important milestones. Tune in: In the late 1800s, Paul Gottlieb Nipkow, a student in Germany, developed the first ever mechanical module of television. He succeeded in sending images through wires with the help of a rotating metal disk. This technology was called the ‘electric telescope’ that had 18 lines of resolution.   Around 1907, two separate inventors, A.A. Campbell-Swinton from England and Russian scientist Boris Rosing, used the cathode ray tube in addition to the mechanical scanner system, to create a new television system. From the experiments of Nipkow and Rosing, two types of television systems were created: mechanical television & electronic television. Philo Farnsworth is credited as the inventor of the first electronic television. The first television station...

Q: What is this pop culture presentation? A: Effectively you want to introduce your topic to the class and explain: 1. What or who is it? 2. Why is this subject important? (i.e., how has it affected our culture or lives?) You should have a visual aide or audio aide of some sort. This visual or audio can be a film clip, a newsletter that you create, a brochure with relevant information, a Prezi that incorporates video, visuals, and information, a song clip, a tray of brownies (or any appropriate food), a poster, a painting, a Powerpoint presentation, a flyer, a 3D object, a pet snake, a game, a physical object, a picture, a zine you created yourself, a comic book, a swatch of fabric, or anything else you can think of that would help your audience understand what you're talking about. Q: How much time do I have to present? A: Please keep your presentations to about 10 minutes or less. As long as you've explained what it is and why it's important, we get the idea. Rea...

To start off, please take the first 5 minutes of class to read the article: "Snap! Crackle! Plot!" by Roy Rivenburg. After reading, please respond in writing. Then, let's take a look at some advertising techniques. As you watch the slide show, please take notes about advertising strategies. Creative Advertising Techniques . Please make a list of things you'd like to buy if you were given a blank check and the sky was the limit. Now annotate the list with brief explanations for why you want each item. --How much of what we buy is who we are? --How does what we buy help us connect, compare, or create homogeneous groups (hegemonies). --America: why are we so greedy? --What's up with all this consumerism? Is capitalism to blame? Jennifer Government : Please use some class time to read Jennifer Government and search pop culture magazines or the library for secondary sources. Here's Max Barry's website . It doesn't get more pop cultur...

Intro to Pop Art Video Pop Art: Appearing in Britain in the mid 1950s and in the United States a few years later, pop art challenged aesthetic tradition by equating fine art with an artist's use of mass-produced visual commodities. Pop art removes the subject material from its context to isolate the object, and/or combine it with other objects or genres. Pop art employs aspects of mass culture such as advertising , comic books and mundane cultural objects. Found objects and images recall the theory of Dada. Pop art emphasizes the banal or common elements of a culture, as opposed to high or refined art. It uses irony, incongruity, and associates itself with the mechanical means of reproduction or rendering which can make its meaning aloof or difficult for the viewer. Andy Warhol  Roy Lichtenstein Takashi Murakami Jasper Johns Keith Haring Eduardo Paolozzi are just some of many pop artists.

Please use the time in the library and/or lab to conduct research or write material in your journal or for your portfolio. If you need a break, or change of pace, take some time, sit and read Jennifer Government in the library. A note about the presentation: effectively there are two grades for your Pop Culture project. 1). a creative non-fiction essay/reflection (which will count for your portfolio), and 2). a presentation you will present to the class. What can you present? Anything pertaining to your topic. Effectively, you want to explain to us what the topic is, where is it found in our culture, what is the effect on our culture, and why is this topic part of our culture (what is its significance). So in other words: what is it? and why is it important? Good presentations will be informative, thoughtful, show effort and/or creativity, and be thought provoking. They should include some sort of visual aide. A newsletter, a magazine, an ad, a zine, a comic strip or book, a shor...

4 = Exemplary 3= Accomplished 2= Promising 1=Beginning 0=Failing Exemplary: Thoroughly and artistically developed characters, plot, structure, conflict, theme, and setting. Uses vivid description, effective diction and word choice, tone or voice, POV, imagery, and compelling dialogue throughout portfolio. Uses a variety of effective literary devices. Writing can be considered “art,” effectively communicating issues central to the human condition in a compelling way. Has few errors in spelling punctuation, syntax, and usage. Sentence structure and overall effect of the work is artistic. Work includes evidence of several revised drafts. Work included in portfolio reflects a wide range of styles and genres. There is more than Twelve full typed pages of new work. Uses lab and class time to full extent; always on task when given an assignment. Participates consistently and insightfully in class discussions; an exemplar for other students. Accomplished: Well developed chara...

The Pop Culture Project: You may work alone or with one partner. Choose one of the areas of study in popular culture: Media Pop Art Pop or Media Icons (people) Fads Technology Sports Leisure Activities (gaming, pastimes, etc.) Music Fashion Food Lifestyle Narrow your topic by breaking the category down to manageable and identifiable topics. Make a list or mind map of sub topics and components in the category in your journal. EX. Media can be broken down into smaller areas such as television, film, radio; but then can be broken smaller still into things such as television: CSI Miami , various actors, various directors, the Simpsons . Then these topics can be broken down further, if needed. Search the internet. Find internet sources that examine the significance of your chosen topic. Record the internet addresses and keep careful track of your sources according to MLA format . Search the library. Find at least ONE text source in the library. This book may not be speci...

Please link to the website: Pop Matters (a popular culture on-line zine). For HOMEWORK: please peruse this site. Choose 3 articles in any of the following categories: television, movies/film, music, gaming, dvds, books, comics, multimedia, events or culture. In your journal write a short 1-2 paragraph summary of the article. Be prepared to share at least one of these articles to the whole class on Tuesday.

What is  Popular Culture ? Popular culture studies popular culture from a critical theory perspective. It is generally considered a combination of communication studies and cultural studies. Barriers between so-called high and low culture have broken down, which encompasses such diverse media as comic books, television, mass media, and the Internet. The theory of progressive evolution : Capitalist economies create opportunities for every individual to participate in a culture which is fully democratized through mass education, expansion of leisure time and cheap entertainment, media and paperbacks. In this liberal view, popular culture (low culture) does not threaten high culture, but is an authentic expression of the needs of the people. Click here (a very pop culture idea in the first place) and read about Popular Culture on Wikipedia (another pop culture idea). Take notes to define, understand the component parts of the subject area, and its characteristics. ...

Please respond to these three questions in your notebook/journal: 1. What is American culture exactly? 2. Who gets to decide what is included or excluded from American culture? 3. How do we know we are culturally 'American'? "Recognize that the position you take in this debate about culture --whatever position you take--is a political one with implications about what we should value, what we should praise, what we should accept, what we should teach. When you reflect [or act to create art or writing] about this debate, when you contribute your own voice to this discussion, try to be aware of the implications that follow from your position. When you listen to the voices of others, try to listen with awareness, deciding for yourself what is at stake and how their positions relate to your own."

Much of this class requires you to find ideas through conversation, our readings, and through a variety of other means like writing exercises, research, and broad based topics. Almost anything is fair game to a writer. The object is to spark an idea and/or topic to write about. We're going to try that today as you begin your first writing assignment. Cultural Ideas Exercise: 1. In your notebook/journal, etc. make a list of cultural ideas. Cultural ideas are usually based on beliefs, fashion, food, environmental issues, entertainment or leisure activities, taboos, traditions, holidays, education, and several other broad-based categories. 2. Try to break up your general or broad-based category into smaller, more manageable ideas. Beliefs, for example, can be turned into: concept of life after death (what happens after we die), the concept of evil (why do bad things happen to good people?), the concept of freedom (are we free to choose our own destinies?), the concept...

Culture Scientists and Anthropologists define culture as learned behavior acquired by individuals as members of a social group. According to Edward Tyler in 1871: culture includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and other capabilities or habits acquired by a group. Culture is a learned behavior. Culture is also used to refer to a highly cultivated person versed in art, philosophy, etc. Culture includes insignificant behavior such as behavior traits, etiquette, food habits, as well as refined arts of a society. Culture can also be considered as the sum total of human knowledge and acquired behavior of humankind. Habits or behavior is generally transmitted from members to the young or outsiders until the outsider is also an insider, part of the group. Language : common way of communication. Language is a system of verbal and nonverbal symbols used to communicate ideas. The study of these symbols is what is known as semiotics . Taboos : strict mores or beha...

Each new academic year I root out old stale links and trim the metaphorical branches.  Welcome class of 2012 to our classroom blog. Check here each class period for agendas, deadlines, educational information, advice, and a whole lot of links to enhance your education. All you have to do is read and click. If you're absent or missed something in class, please check the blog to get caught up. As stated above, each new class period includes a new post. If you have a question about an assignment and are too embarrassed to speak to me in public (or you have a question that you think you will forget to ask), feel free to use the comment section. New on our link page is a link to our Creative Writing Forum. You will be expected to use the forum to discuss the major reading and thematic topics in this course. Electronic forums save paper. You are keeping the world green by posting responses and reflections there.

http://absolutelybangkok.com/thai-literature-made-easy/ http://www.th4u.com/culture.htm http://www.th4u.com/generalinfo.htm http://www.thaioasis.com/literature/lit_thaipolculhis01.php http://www.thailandbuddy.com/learning-thai-language/Thai-literature.html Khlong Sii Subharp Seasons Cycle Body Mind The sun shone brightly; its rays Discharged the fierce and exhausting heat. Come Summer, everybody Yearned for returning home and remaining there. Days lengthened as if the world were bereft of nighttime. At night insomnia forced my eyes to stay open. Profusely sweating all over my body, I had to shower twice, and the heat was then alleviated. Rivers were boiled away into vapor; The ground, split off from excessive heat. The wind desisted from blowing; Everything was wilting and drooping. Even the solid rocks were cleaved, yielding to the sun!

Canada Information Cinema of Canada Canadian Poets (with sample poems) Canadian Authors

South Africa South African History: The Apartheid South African Arts Cinema of South Africa Lionel Abrahams Peter Abrahams Nadine Gordimer Music of South Africa

List of authors Collection of New Zealand Films Rugby Team: The All Blacks Public Holidays Pure New Zealand (clip)

Tora! Tora! Tora! clip Poet: Janos Pilinszky Picture Poems by Lajos Kassak Cuisine Torte recipe

Greek National Anthem Greek Food Greek Alphabet Song Dogtooth, film

Icelandic History Iceland information Learn some Icelandic! Icelandic Poetry Icelandic novels Icelandic writers

General information Discussion of prominent poets and styles Authors and Prose Movements Culture (art/dance, etc.) El Camino trailer Dance Video

Carlos Slim, a Mexican Billionaire Octavio Paz , a Mexican Poet Poem Emile Kuri's filmography Day of the Dead Mexico Statistics Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Filmography Biutiful Trailer

The following presenters today have not provided me with a link page: Malaysia, Vietnam, Czechoslovakia, Thailand, Indonesia.

From Mr. Craddock: By far, the most influential film maker of early Russian film was Sergei Eisenstein . Here's a few clips from some of his films: Battleship Potemkin (1925) Oktober Alexander Nevsky (battle on the ice sequence) - Music by Sergei Prokofiev Ivan the Terrible Please read this article on the state of contemporary Russian Film . Then take a look at this clip. Top 20 Russian Film clips.

Russia (basic information) : the US Department of State has information on World countries with statistics. This can be helpful for social studies courses. Compare US information with a site in the UK. Russian Culture Russian Revolution Soviet National Anthem News articles Russian Literature Russian Poets Russian Film: Night Watch (trailer) Architecture Sports Russian recipes

Information about China Government Youtube video Confucianism (The Analects) Literature The Misty Poets ( Bei Dao ) Chinese American poet: Li-Young Lee ( "Eating Alone" ) Contemporary Chinese Poets Film: Sixth Generation Jackie Chan Jackie Chan from Mulan Theatre: Cao Yu (play Thunderstorm , adapted into the film Curse of the Golden Flower ) Contemporary Chinese Theater Artists Music: Harlem Yu Chinese Hip-Hop: Yin T'sang Don't Worry (hip hop video) Big Bird in China & Rubber Ducky Chinese food in America versus Chinese food in China

Japanese News Traditional Japanese "Noh" Theater Hiroshi Kawasaki (poet) Japanese Pop Music Sumo: cultural pastime Japanese literature and history is divided into various periods (based largely on who was controlling the country): Nara Period (710-794 A.D. or C.E.) Japanese literature traces its beginnings from an oral tradition that later used a writing system introduced from China. Most of this literature from the eighth century was created as governmental projects. The Kojiki ( Record of Ancient Matters ) and Nihon shoki (Chronicle of Japan) are really an anthology of myths, legends, stories, and history (much like the Western Bible, but without the religious significance). The most brilliant literary product of this period was the Man'yoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), an anthology of 4,500 poems written by a variety of people ranging from peasants and commoners to emperors and nobility (compiled around 759 CE). It is here that Tanka: 31 syllab...

Australia General information: Australia More information: Australia Map of Australia Animals of Australia One World Online has a lot of information concerning most cultures in the world. Literary Figures Films The Proposition (film clip) Presentation Photos Information from Mr. Craddock: Patrick White (Nobel Prize winning author) Max Barry List of Australian poets

Brazil : has a long and interesting history and culture. Information about Brazil can be found here . Wikipedia and E-Notes are quick ways to find general information in which to expand your research, but be careful about using them as your sole resource. Many professors in college dislike it as it is not always reliable. Always find at least three sources on any subject and compare information. Look for scholarly articles and reputable sources. Article on Brazil   Literature  and the History of Brazilian Literature Literature excerpt From Mr. Craddock: Jorge Amado Clarice Lispector Brazilian poetry Mario de Andrade  (various) Carlos Drummond de Andrade  (Seven-sided poem) João Cabral Melo Neto  (A Knife All Blade...poem) Augusto de Campos: Manifesto on Concrete Poetry  (several examples of de Campos' concrete poems ) Brazilian Film Directors Glauber Rocha Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund (City of God - Oscar nominated film, tra...

Columbia (basic information) A unique culture of Spanish culture and other mixed cultures. Columbia is bordered by the Pacific Ocean were their traditions are diverse, with a broad group that have unique customs, accents, social patterns, and cultural adaptations. These groups are classified into three cultures: those in the interior, the countryside, and the coastal regions. Modern Colombian music is a mixture of African, native Indigenous and European (Spanish) influences, as well as more modern American and Caribbean musical forms, such as Trinidadian, Cuban, and Jamaican. The official language is Spanish, which was imposed during the colonial period. All Colombians speak it except some of the indigenous populations in the Amazonian basin. In major cities, English is used, particularly by the upper class, but it is not commonly understood or spoken. Outside urban areas, Spanish is virtually the only medium of communication. Some of the architectural gems are the many church...