Writing Across Cultures

Welcome to Semester 2! After our morning warm-up & response: Let's chat this morning about our portfolios and some alterations/helpful hints to be successful in this class. New policy for you: Each week I will collect your writing. Your writing (drafts) are always due the last class of that week (Thursday when the class ends Thursday...Friday when the class ends Friday, etc.) This collected class work will be pass/fail. No draft, no grade. When in the lab, please use the time given to you to further your portfolio (that's what it's for) but you can also conduct a workshop if you feel the need...or have a conference with me--this isn't new, just reminding you...) Please note that this course is a literature course, first and foremost. The reading of texts and works are required. You will not pass this class if you don't read. (Again, not really new, just a reminder...) Now let's conduct a short grammar lesson and details about time management....

Portfolios are due today. Please hand them in. HOMEWORK: Read "The Stone Gods" by Jeanette Winterson for Monday, Feb. 1. There will be a quiz.

Today part II of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Portfolios are due Friday by end of class/day. There will be some time devoted next class to putting the finishing touches on your portfolio. HOMEWORK: Read The Stone Gods .

During period 1, please work on your portfolios. If you haven't looked at Jeanette Winterson yet, please see our previous blog post. Your portfolio should include at least: A self reflection about your writing and progress (all your explanations, reasons and excuses go in the essay!) The gender fairy tale assignment (with Ms. Jordan) Any feminism or masculinity (women's or men's studies) pieces Any LGBTQ pieces A REVISION of something you've already written from MP1 or revision of MP2 work. You MUST include/attach drafts of previous work! During period 2, return to 238 to discuss Fun Home. With time remaining we will begin screening Hedwig and the Angry Inch. HOMEWORK: Continue reading Stone Gods .

This morning, spend period 1 writing your portfolio. I encourage you (because the rest of the CW department has sort of flopped on this assignment) to alone or in a pair, choose a historical newspaper article and write a short 2-3 page sketch on slavery or the Harlem Renaissance or the Civil Rights Movement or The Obama Years. During period 2, we will hold our discussion on Fun Home & Tales of the City . When we're done, we'll go to the library to pick up The Stone Gods and return to the lab to learn about Jeanette Winterson. Jeanette Winterson  is a contemporary novelist. She is a lesbian writer, but dabbles in science fiction, literary and poetic prose. She was born in Manchester, England, and adopted by Pentecostal parents who brought her up in the nearby mill-town. She attended Oxford, and currently writes for various UK newspapers (she is a journalist, as well as a literary novelist and poet). Her novels include: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Sexing the C...

A moment to discuss college programs. When you have a chance, take a look at this website to see what college program you are thinking of going into (or have applied to) and what they might expect you to do to be successful. https://www.noodle.com/colleges/ny_location  

Today, please use your time in the lab to answer the following questions as you read/examine Fun Home by Alison Bechdal. Your answers should be well written, printed out, and will be collected at the end of the class for participation/quiz credit. 1. View the following links/videos and explain what the Bechdal test is (what are its rules, for example) and why it might be important when examining pop culture, media, or literature? The Bechdel Test Analyzing the Bechdel Test in 21st Century Narratives 2. View and read these recent articles about the book and respond to the question below: Freshmen Skipping Fun Home for Religious Reasons in The Chronicle by Claire Ballentine Duke Freshmen Boycott Acclaimed Graphic Novel: in The Daily Dot , written by Aja Romano The Duke Freshmen by Jacob Brogan Listen Up Duke Freshmen by Emily Shire for T he Daily Beast What is your opinion on the matter? In a thoughtful response, argue both FOR the boycotters (why might it be imp...

After viewing the last part of Intersexion , please travel down to the library to exchange your book for our next one: Fun Home . When you return to the room, please take the quiz on Tales of the City . You may use your character directory for the quiz. Please turn in your directory and the quiz in any case. When you finish, please spend time beginning to read Fun Home .  When all quizzes are in, let's have a brief discussion about Tales of the City. With any time remaining, we'll head upstairs to work on our portfolios. HOMEWORK: Read Fun Home for Monday .  As you read, consider the hegemonic group or classification of Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, et al. Queer : the quality or trait marked as odd or strange; also any expression that can be labeled as contra (against), non (not), or anti (against) straight, heterosexual images, representation, etc. As you read, consider how the book represents LGBTQ identity, and how the author's "memoir"...

NOTE/ANNOUNCEMENT: The playwrights' festival will be held on January 19-22. We are in need of writers (x5), directors (x5), and actors (x10-20). Schedule will be as follows: Jan. 19: All meet from 3:00-4:00. Meet potential directors and actors dressed in costume with a prop. Writers stay until 7:00 or 8:00 to write scripts. Dinner provided. Jan. 20: Playwrights turn in play script; producer copies plays. Directors, writers, & actors rehearse from 3:00-7:00 (playwrights leave at 4:00). Jan. 21: Actors & Directors rehearse after school (3:00-7:00); writers may attend 3:00-4:00. Jan. 22: Actors/Directors meet after school for final rehearsal & tech. Dinner provided. Show opens at 7:00. Please let friends and family know about this fund raising event for the Creative Writing Department. We are in need of actors, directors, and writers. ALSO: Mr. Gabriel (director of the Black History Assembly) would like to commission the CW department to write 2-4 minu...

During period 1, please work on the following tasks: 1. Work on your portfolio. 2. Complete the character directory for The Tales of the City . This, along with a quiz, is due Thursday. During period 2, we will screen the film documentary Intersexion (2012) Intersex Written/Directed/and Edited by Grant Lahood Produced by John Keir HOMEWORK: Complete your character directory for the novel The Tales of the City . A discussion of the book and a quiz will commence next class. Portfolios are due Jan. 20.