Writing Across Cultures

For the first 15-20 minutes of class, please complete your scene from Sato Makoto (see absurdist & epic theater style characteristics from the last post) or complete your scene from last Thursday's class's prompts with Los Vendidos . Write at least a page or two of your scene. At 7:50, let's watch and take some notes for our Japanese Literature Unit: The History of Japan Shinto Buddhism: School of Life Crash Course: Bunraku & Kabuki By far, however, haiku  (a one-breath poem that served as the opening stanza of a renga--more on that later) is the most familiar style of Japanese poetry, mainly because of this guy: Matsuo Basho.  Let's read some of his poems and the inspiration in nature that he observed that created them. Basho collected his poetry in his "journal" entitled "The Narrow Road to Oku"--as he traveled for 150 days to visit the grave of his mother. Let's read a couple excerpts from the book. Then, let's write so...

Today, we'll finish our reading of  My Beatles  by  Satoh Makoto . Prompt: 1. select a pop cultural icon: ex. The Beatles, The Who, the Supremes, Scooby Doo & the gang, John Wayne, Madea, The Teletubbies, Magic Johnson, Kim Kardashian, J.K. Rowling, Pablo Picasso, Ansel Adams, Van Gogh, Michael Jackson, Spider-Man, etc. Think of your favorite authors, favorite actors, favorite musicians, favorite artists, favorite dancers, favorite singers, favorite celebrities, etc. The icon should be familiar with generations from you to your grandparents. What is the image or idea the pop culture icon represents? Make a short list of possibilities. Allow this character to represent this idea. Use this character to suggest your theme. 2. Research and pick a human tragedy. In My Beatles , for example, the playwright Makoto uses a well known societal tragedy, the rape and death of a young Japanese girl by a Korean boy as the basis for his characters, but also as a reminder t...

Let's take a look at the short plays  Los Vendidos  by  Luis Valdez  (we will cover more Central and South American culture in a while) and  My Beatles  by  Satoh Makoto . Use either play form for a scene of your own (perhaps joining your thoughts from today about Asia or your own identity/culture...); Please sign up for roles so I don't have to beg you to participate. When we finish reading these plays, we will begin our examination of Asian culture with Japan. Haiku , as you probably know, is a short, closed form of poetry originating in Japan. It is traditionally a poem about nature (and our relationship to nature), as opposed to  senryu  which is a poem form specifically about human nature. In American translation of the poem, the form should be fewer than 17 syllables (often 10 words or fewer), and haiku avoids metaphor, personification, or other such poetic devices. Instead, two ideas are balanced in harmony through juxtaposition....

This morning: What is your experience with Asian culture? Do you know the difference between Japanese culture and Chinese or Korean or Vietnamese culture? Can you point out Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia or Thailand on a map? What do you know about these cultures? What is your interaction with them? Can you name famous Asians? If so, who? If not, why not? Respond to these questions in an essay or list or poem or scene, etc. If you know very little about these cultures, consider this writing prompt: an apology letter to more than 1/2 the world's population. "I'm sorry that..." and confess your thoughts. American Born Chinese Please watch the following videos and respond in writing: The Struggles of Being Asian American Growing Up Asian    Crazy Rich Asians (trailer, 2018)           How might you use these videos as examples/models for your own video or writing projects? Discussion (from Shmoop): What's the deal with the structure of ...

Reminder: Your portfolios are due today! Remember there should be a reflection, a piece on gender, a piece on race and the draft of your Margaret Atwood  Wilderness Tips  story. Race Presentations: How do we solve the problem of Race in our culture? This morning we will conclude our presentations on Race, completing the unit of study. Today, our last two groups will present: Mariangelis & Andrea; and James & Justice. As before, our presentations will follow this pattern:   Presentation of the project After the presentation, the class (those not presenting at the moment) will be expected to ask  clarifying questions  of the presentation. Presenters should repeat or clarify as necessary.  "What I heard the presenters say..."; "I don't understand your point about..."; "What do you mean by..."; "I have a question about..."; "Could you repeat the part about..." The group will also  actively listen  and  rest...

Please take period 1 to put the finishing touches on your presentations. Presentations are graded on participation. The goal of our presentations is critical thinking. Our presentations will follow a pattern.  After the presentation, the class (those not presenting at the moment) will be expected to ask  clarifying questions  of the presentation. Presenters should repeat or clarify as necessary.  "What I heard the presenters say..."; "I don't understand your point about..."; "What do you mean by..."; "I have a question about..."; "Could you repeat the part about..." The group will also  actively listen  and  restate or summarize main points  or ideas that have been presented. Interpretive questions can also be asked. "I heard the presenters say..."; "What I'm hearing is..."; "What I think this means..."; "Am I getting this right?"; "This reminds me of..."; ...

Please take period 1 to put the finishing touches on your presentations. Presentations are graded on participation .The goal of our presentations is critical thinking. Our presentations will follow a pattern.  After the presentation, the class (those not presenting at the moment) will be expected to ask  clarifying questions  of the presentation. Presenters should repeat or clarify as necessary.  "What I heard the presenters say..."; "A question this raises for me is..."; "I don't understand your point about..."; "What do you mean by..."; "I have a question about..."  The group will then  actively listen  and  restate or summarize main points  or ideas that have been presented.  "I heard the presenters say..."; "What I'm hearing is..."; "What I think this means..."; "Am I getting this right?"; "This reminds me of..."; "This makes me think of..."  ...

In class, use your time to prepare your presentation projects to solve racism. By the end of class, I'll ask for a volunteer group or two to present Monday. Sign up for a day to present. Things to Remember About a Presentation: This project should be based on facts. Find some statistics, facts, or evidence to support your ideas--even game shows need facts to explain questions or concerns.  Use the internet for good. Research the status quo of the problem and research if your idea has actually been tried before and what the result may have been! Beliefs and philosophies may or may not be 'true'. Personal opinion may or may not be 'true' for everyone or in large groups--that's why you need to research a bit. Find out what others have said or done--how will you build upon successes and remove obstacles? Peel the "onion" of your problem: what are your assumptions about race? What are your assumptions about the problems or solutions to the problem? ...

Race Presentation Project: Refer to the handouts on Fanon, Gilroy, Anderson, Lincoln, Garvey, Galton, Malcolm X, MLK, Jr., TaNehisi Coates, TedX talks, articles/videos, etc. and other sources to support your presentation ideas.  How to go about this... As with anything that requires critical thinking, you want to brainstorm your ideas first. Work with your group to exhaust all the possible questions (see post from last class!) on the issue. Write down the most important issues surrounding race relations in America.  [Again, you can use the articles, op-ed docs, videos, etc. as places to start...what do these speakers/writers say could help?] Narrow down your focus by choosing a single path forward. Which idea do you favor? Take that one and start examining what would be involved in enacting this policy. Yes, there are a variety of ways to attempt to solve this problem, but you will focus on one of them--not all. This will help you fo...

After taking your open-book test during period 1, if you finish before the end of the period, please read the handout articles on Frantz Fanon, Paul Gilroy, and Elijah Anderson's philosophy/sociology for additional sources for your presentation. When all tests are submitted, we will have a discussion on the book. Remember that you will receive a grade for your participation in this discussion. You should place your "pennies" in the dish as instructed. American War discussion - A Penny for your Thoughts! The book has two epigraphs . The first reads, "The one you must punish is the one who punishes you." from The Book of Songs by 10th-century poet Kitab al-Aghani. How does this epigraph set the tone for the book and prepare us for events in the book? How effective was the author in setting up his setting for the narrative? What elements of the setting (locations, time, season, weather, items/props, etc.) are most vivid? How does the author establish this ...

Briefly, this morning, please gather in your small groups and work on your upcoming presentation on race. When attempting to answer this question, together, with your partners, use probing questions to get at what your group thinks is important about the topic. Here are some examples to try: What would you have to change in order to solve the problem of Race in America? What's another way you might have to approach the question? What do you assume to be true about Race? What's the connection between ____ and ____? (for example, economics and race, or education and race, or fear and race?) What questions do you still need to understand in order to answer this question? What criteria should or could we use when determining a solution to this problem? What is wrong about the way we deal with Race issues in America? What if the opposite were true, and the Racial minority you are using as an example, was a Racial majority? How would this new "majority" treat t...

Period 1: Booker T. Washington bio  and the Atlanta Compromise speech Video: Explained . Racial Wealth Gap. Read the handout of poems and  the Atlantic  article by Ta-Nehisi Coates:  "The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration."  Use your creativity to write a poem or essay draft inspired by one of these poems or what the article sparks. Suggestions: Write a poem about a nickname (or racial slur) you or someone you know earned in school.  Write about a time you had to declare your racial heritage. Write about your parents (or a parent/relative, etc.) that had to assimilate or taught you something about your culture. Write about a relative or neighbor that you know in prison. Write a fictional story from the perspective of an inmate in a State or local prison or from a family member or law enforcement officer affected by crime or our prison system. To help you see the following sites: Race & Homicide in America  (US World Ne...

Period 1: Announcements: community service opportunity; April 6 with Writers & Books. Read the article summary on Booker T. Washington & WEB DuBois. Things to research (in the lab, on your own, during this unit, etc.): One drop rule Better Baby contests Beauty contests (& beauty pageant history) Nature versus Nurture Immigration Jim Crow laws The Negro Motorist Green Book  Current events regarding immigration Women in minority cultures/races Classroom: America's Sources of Immigration 1850 to Today Crash Course Sociology: Dubois & Race Conflict Prejudice & Discrimination: Crash Course OP Docs: A Conversation with Police about Race OP Docs: A Conversation about Growing Up Black OP Docs: A Conversation with Black Women about Race When we say "Race" in America, is that just a buzz word for "Black"? What about other "races"? Being Native American in the US OP Docs: A Conversation with Native Americ...

Period 1: Read the article summaries: Lincoln & Garvey. Short videos to consider as inspiration/knowledge for your writing. Watch, take notes, brainstorm ideas for stories, plays, poems, podcasts, scripts, essays, memoirs, speeches, etc.: The Twisted Logic Behind America's Shameful Eugenic History  (6 min) Further race/ethnicity info  (Kahn Academy lecture, 6 min) The "real" Problem with Black America : Ben Shapiro Let's Talk About Race: TedX Black Self/White World: TedX Give Racism a Chance: TedX What Beyonce Taught Me About Race: TedX The Top 5 Issues Facing Black Americans The Myth of Escaping the Ghetto: TedX Why are Black Women so Angry The History of Eugenics in America  (video series) (about 130 minutes, broken into 10 min videos) National Identity is Made Up CRISPR Things to research (in the lab, on your own, during this unit, etc.): One drop rule Better Baby contests Beauty contests (& beauty pageant history) Nature v...

Read the handout on Malcolm X & Martin Luther King, Jr . Galton, (remember him?) the biological determinist who coined the idea of nature vs. nurture, supported the idea of  eugenics : The belief (and practice) of improving the genetic quality of the human race through selective breeding, extermination, (or sterilization in some cases), separating the superior from the inferior. Eugenics was practiced in the US years before Hitler got his claws into the idea to exterminate the Jews (and others). During the  Progressive Era , eugenics was seen as the best way to preserve and improve the dominant Hegemony in our population.  Perhaps not surprisingly, the American eugenics movement received funding from various corporate foundations (the 1%) including the Carnegie Institution and the Rockefeller Foundation. The Eugenics record office (ERO) was located in Cold Spring Harbor, NY by Charles Davenport. The ERO was one of the leading organizations to promote eugen...

Period 1: 20-minute writing/wrap up for Gender unit. Please complete your assignment draft from last class. See the previous post for details! Complete your essay draft and submit your essay draft as a test grade (and for your portfolio). Then, we'll hold a 10-15 minute discussion about chapter 1 of American War. Period Two: Race . What does Race mean to you? (5 minute reflection): [on a scale how important is race to you? Why study race in school/this class?; what are the biggest issues/problems facing races today?; who's on top or bottom, who's in, who's out? Personal experiences regarding race? Other?] Race : Define it in your own words. Ethnicity : Define it in your own words. Minority : Define it in your own words. Let's start with this crash course video:  Race & Ethnicity: Crash Course Sociology . Take notes as a writer would--seek to pull out issues surrounding this topic that inspire/drive or interest you to examine the issue fu...

As you watch, please use the film and play script as resource materials to write a researched/analysis or creative personal narrative/essay using the Gender criticism notes given to you at the beginning of this unit. You may wish to expand your discussion to personal understanding or experiences, or comment on contemporary culture. This essay will serve as a "test" for the film/play script. Consider the following as you watch: Rock & Roll, particularly  "heavy metal"  is often viewed as being primarily a masculine musical form. Why? Examine the film/play's depiction of transgender identities in roles traditionally played by c is-gender  actors  cross-dressing .  In your opinion, does the film/play teach you anything you did not know about gender? Is the play relevant today? Why or why not? Examine pop culture in regards to gender and identity (particularly transgender, for example). Has pop culture helped or hurt the transgender community? Has the...

During period one there will be some activity the "climate committee" would like us to do. Then use time until 8:00 to write for your portfolio and/or discuss the play the Vagina Monologues . We will then view the play/film Hedwig & the Angry Inch. Details : Written/Directed by StephenTrask (music & lyrics) & John Cameron Mitchell (book). Rolling Stone called it the best rock musical ever. It premiered off-Broadway in 1998 and then closed in 2000 after 857 performances. It has been revived throughout the world in London's West End, England, Germany, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands, Turkey, Italy, Thailand, the Czech Republic, and Austria. It was revived on Broadway in 2014 with Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig and won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Actors as diverse as Taye Diggs , Michael Cerveris , Ally Sheedy  of the Breakfast Club .    and Michael C. Hall who played the serial killer Dexter . As you watch, please use t...

After viewing Eve Ensler's performance of her play, let's discuss some of the following: 1. Examine gender in The Vagina Monologues . What ideas or themes in the play connect the women represented? Are these themes/ideas universal for all women? Or is The Vagina Monologues unnecessary for us today, and/or too "shocking" or inappropriate to view? 2. What do the monologues teach/show us about how gender is socially constructed? 3. How do The Vagina Monologues treat women’s lived experiences? That is, has Eve Ensler helped break a longstanding silence about vaginas? Why or why not? What do we learn about our bodies, our selves by viewing/reading this work? What might viewing/reading this work help us understand as true or important to learn as a society or as an individual? How might the play change us or our attitudes toward this subject? 4. How effectively does The Vagina Monologues represent differences among women as their identities intersect with race, sexua...

If you completed your test questions for Fun Home , please submit these now. Open book exam questions are due today. No late work accepted after announcements. Please upload your files to our Google Classroom or turn in by hand/or printed in the in-box today. Before our discussion on the novel (look! a synthesis!), please take 15 minutes to read the following short articles on the book and note your reaction/thoughts about the articles: 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 At 7:50, we will discuss  Fun Home . Here are the discussion questions: Were the Duke freshmen justified in refusing to read  Fun Home ? Discuss. Consider "safe spaces" on college campuses...you'll be there soon. Share y...