Writing Across Cultures

Basic Beliefs of Islam 1. Allah, is the only God, and Muhammad is his prophet. 2. Prophets and Messengers: While Muhammad is the sole prophet in Islam, the religion recognizes many of the prophets from Judaism and Christianity, such as Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, and others. Whereas Jesus is thought to be the final prophet for Christianity, Muhammad is God's last prophet according to Islam. As most prophets, Muhammad is chosen by Allah to deliver his message to humankind. 3. The Guidance from Allah & the Qur'an: Muhammad left behind the Word of Allah, the Qur'an, and his teachings, Hadith, were collected by his companions (similar to Christianity's disciples). The Qur'an and the Hadith are the textual sources of Islamic teachings. The Qur'an (or Koran) is equivalent in importance to the Christian Bible or the Jewish Talmud . 4. The Angels: Thought to be beings of purity and light, the angels do Allah's bidding. Taken from Judaism and Christianity, th...

Please research Albert Camus. 1. Jot down a few notes about his life and biography. 2. In your own words explain Camus' view on Absurdity . 3. In your own words explain Camus' view on Solidarity . 4. Who was Sisyphus and how might this myth be a good example of absurdity? 5. Explain Existentialism. 6. How might The Stranger be considered an example of existentialism? What is Camus' point about the meaning of our lives? 7. What are some basic principals, movements or themes of existentialism? 8. Who said "God is dead." 9. Who said "Hell is other people." 10. Choose a quote from Albert Camus and use this somehow in your writing (either as an epigram or perhaps as a starting point for a story/poem/essay/script.) By the way, the link on the right also has a plethora of other existential ideas. Peruse and use any of these topics to help you create writing. By the way, you CAN also use the photographs on this page inspirationally, perhaps in your poetry, etc. ...

Please check out Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. You may begin reading this book. When we return from break, we will have a writing assignment due at the end of that week. Aim to complete your reading by 3/1/09, the beginning of March. For a prompt, try creating your own imaginary recipe. Perhaps take an abstract concept, for example (love, solitude, melancholy, etc.), and create a metaphorical recipe. How much jealousy would you require to add to the batter of love? Not to your liking? You may, of course, write a script for a cooking show, sprinkle recipes through a fictional story, or write a non-fiction personal essay discussing the importance of family and food--or pick a prompt from your reading. Let Esquivel inspire you. When we return we will be discussing Magical Realism and Mexican/South American literature. Have a safe and happy break!

Remember your two writing pieces are due Friday! You are being graded on content, form, style, creativity, theme, character (speaker), plot, conflict, literary devices used skillfully, development, and just plain good-ness. High scores of 4 = Accomplished, 3 = promising, 2 = developing, 1 = beginning. Work not turned in receives a zero. Please no late papers. Finish reading The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven . We will discuss the test on Friday.

Please read the rest of the collection (pg. 110-211) 1. Use a series of years (as in Jesus Christ's Half-brother...) as a frame work for a character or a series of characters. Try keeping your prose style as journalistic as possible. As an additional style challenge, end each year section with a distinct image that does not necessarily conclude the "chapter" - you'll notice in Alexie's story, he ends each section with a short concise declarative sentence. Try that. 2. Tell a story about someone telling a story. Change the story style as you go. Perhaps you may want to tell a sci-fi story, then a romance, then an action adventure story, then a realistic drama, etc. Play with tone and voice. 3. Write about your culture. What games or leisure activities do YOUR people like? Write about that. 4. Write about a domestic crisis. 5. Write about people at the edge, not over-the-edge, but people in a desperate situation in their lives -- it is important that you do not ...

Continue reading Sherman Alexie's short fiction. Prompts for poetry, plays, non-fiction, and fiction are below: Read pages: 54-110. 1. Write an unflattering reflection of yourself (or a character who is a composite of unflattering aspects of yourself). 2. Write about a city you would like to get to, or leave. 3. Write about a supernatural talent that an ordinary person wakes up one day to find that he/she can now do. 4. Write about an amusement (something fun that people do). 5. Write about a character you created in the past. Tell a new story with an old character. 6. Choose a small overlooked newspaper article. Change the names and details, but rewrite the article to launch yourself into a story, essay, play, poem, etc. 7. Write about a trial. 8. Write about a medicine man. 9. Search through a history book and select a moment in history. Write down an inspiring or interesting passage or phrase and use this as an epigram before a poem, fiction piece, play, or non-fiction essay.

Please check out the Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven from our library before you enter mid-term week. Begin reading this collection of short fiction. As you read, choose one of the prompts from each group below and write in your journal or type out a short story. These drafts will be helpful to your writing portfolio for the 4th marking period. Please check back periodically during Mid-Term Week for all the prompts. Read: Every Little Hurricane A Drug Called Tradition Because My Father...At Woodstock Crazy Horse Dreams Pages 1-54 Choose any or all prompts: 1. Write about a storm 2. Write about a fight 3. Write about refinding a tradition 4. Write about a drug 5. Write about Jimi Hendrix 6. Write about Woodstock 7. Write about a Dream 8. Write about the man Crazy Horse 9. Write about a father More prompts will be listed later for the next group of stories. Please check back soon!

Pick a decade...any decade. Research the decade to find out various things, details, events, ideology, etc. that occurred during that decade. You may wish to examine: pop culture (from that decade), popular books or literary styles, popular music, food fashions, fashion fashions, historical or political events, economics, religious issues current in the decade, controversy, etc. Log all your details and notes in a journal that you will be expected to work from and turn in for a grade. If you take information from the internet or from books please note WHERE you took that information. Create a "Works Cited" page! This will also be required and turned in! Gather enough info so that when we return from mid-terms, you will be ready for Decade Project - Part II!

Please continue to read (and complete) A Lesson Before Dying or Betsey Brown by next week. Today, please turn in your research notes (1 page looking for allusions/historical references, for Lesson : (the 1940's/1990's) and for Betsey (the 1950's/1980's). Our next writing project will require you to choose a decade or time period in history. Any history. In Betsey Brown , for example, Shange sets her story during the Civil Rights Movement. Before you write, you will be required to take copious notes about history. You should also consult the library and select a book. These secondary sources should be an inspiration and act as resources for your story/play/film script/essay/poem cycle. You will need to include a "works cited" page along with your completed draft of the original writing. More details will be explained in class.

Step One: Create 3 characters: one historic, two fictional. Develop, research, and design your characters BEFORE you begin writing. Think of plausible ways to interconnect these 3 characters. Step Two: Write a story where you give each of these characters 2-5 mini-chapters (chapters written from each character’s subjective point of view)Each chapter should be at least 1 page (double spaced, 12 point font). Step Three: During the last chapter, somehow tie each character together through theme, motif, setting, or plot. You may tie themes together earlier, but at least during the last chapter all three must be interconnected. Step Four: Turn in your first draft Jan. 6. Test on The Hours Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Check out the blog One-Minute Writer. You may wish to use these prompts to get started writing.

Your portfolio is due today. Please make sure you label each draft with a new number and include your name and the title of the work. New drafts should be on top of the old one. Portfolio (2nd marking period) 4 = Exemplary 3= Accomplished 2= Developing 1=Beginning Exemplary: Thoroughly 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. Has few errors in spelling punctuation, syntax, and usage. Work includes evidence of several revised drafts. Work included in portfolio reflects a wide range of styles and genres. There is more than fifteen full typed pages of new work. Uses lab and class time to full extent. Participates consistently and insightfully in class discussions. Accomplished: Well d...

Please respond here for the second part of your test:

1. Read Bloodsucking Fiends (test next Tuesday, Nov. 17). 2. Complete revision (3rd draft)/or 2nd draft (past due) of POV story. 3. Work on draft #1 of your folklore assignment (see below) To research ideas for your folklore project, see the following website: http://www.americanfolklore.net

Please read the following news article: "CHICAGO, Illinois - At 9:58 PM CST, Barack Obama unexpectedly took the state of Virginia. This turn of events put his total projected electoral votes to 284. This total was above the 270 needed to win the nomination, and so Barack Obama has been projected as the next President of the United States. As of 11:40 PM, the total number of electoral votes were set at 338 Obama, 156 McCain. Shortly after the winner was announced, Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain placed a call to congratulate Obama. He then gave a very gracious speech to a crowd of fellow Republicans in Phoenix. In his speech, McCain again congratulated Obama to his followers, to which they responded with with boos and negative tones. McCain spoke graciously of the importance of the election and how history has been made today. Barack Obama gave his speech to his audience less than an hour after McCain, where he thanked his family, running mate, and all those involve...

Folklore is: Folklore is writing that emerges from expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population (culture, subculture, or group). Your task: Research an area of folklore. Use the library and the internet to help you find an idea. Once you have an idea, take notes on your subject. You will need to complete a 1 page outline about how you plan to use the information you found. More on this later. After you have researched an area of folklore, chosen a topic, created an outline, you will need to decide what kind of genre your presentation will take. Some ideas are listed below: Ideas: • Write a story/poem cycle/play about superstitions, folklore and/or a significant tradition in a culture outside of America. • Write a story/poem cycle/play about vampires or some other culturally created "monster." • Write a personal essay about Halloween, Vampires, Horror Films, Dra...

Currently, we are working on the following: 1. The second draft of your 2nd Person - POV story. This draft should be anywhere between 3-7 pages in length, typed, double-spaced, etc. Due Nov. 5. 2. The first draft of your personal essay from Dyer's essay "Dracula and Desire." Due Nov. 3. 3. Post from Oct. 30 - Writing project ideas. Select any one of these AND #4, the folklore research. #4 is required of all students in the class. See post above for detailed instructions. Due date TBA.

As you watch the film, make a list of taboos, social mores, and folkways that the characters break in both London society and in Transylvania. Writing Ideas: 1. Write a vampire story. You know you want to. 2. Write about the breaking of a Christian folkway, or perhaps a taboo. 3. Write a movie script involving a stranger who breaks a social more. 4. Research an area of folklore. Gather notes about your subject. We will use this material later. Happy Halloween!

Basic information about Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula Director: Francis Ford Coppola Writers: Bram Stoker (novel) and James V. Hart (screenplay) Awards:Won 3 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 12 nominations Cast (major only): Gary Oldman... Dracula Winona Ryder... Mina Murray Anthony Hopkins... Professor Abraham Van Helsing Keanu Reeves... Jonathan Harker Richard E. Grant...Dr. Jack Seward Cary Elwes... Lord Arthur Holmwood Bill Campbell...Quincey P. Morris Sadie Frost... Lucy Westenra Tom Waits... R.M. Renfield Jay Robinson... Mr. Hawkins I.M. Hobson... Hobbs

Post to this website with your comments about the novel A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan. To help you comment, consider the following questions (you may answer as many as you like, or choose your own topics to comment on): a. What was your reaction as a reader to the character you "played"? How were you manipulated by the author, the story, or the prose style? b. Why do you think O'Nan chose 2nd person for this novel? What does the novel gain/lose by being written in 2nd person; what might it lose if it was written in 1st or 3rd person? c. What was your reaction to the violence in the novel? How does O'Nan use tone effectively to support the actions and events of the novel? d. What was your reaction as a reader to the novel? What pop cultural references did you think of, or did this story remind you of...and how did that alter your reading experience? e. In your opinion, which character (besides Jake) is most interesting and well developed in the novel? Why...