Assignments Weeks 1 and 2
Weeks 1-3: Introduction/Subaltern
Tuesday 9/8—Introduction to the course and each other.
Thursday 9/10
Peruse course website. Make sure you read "syllabus," “response guidelines,” “extra credit,” and "links to related sites." Bring in any questions you have.
Write a 350-400 word double-spaced typed letter (can be longer if you wish) to me that addresses the following questions (not necessarily in this order):
1. Please tell me about yourself as a student. What kind of learning environment works best for you? Are you, for example, a visual learner, the kind of person who works better if you see graphs and charts and writing on the board? Another example: are you the kind of student who prefers small group work or pair work?
2. What are your strengths as an English student?
3. In what areas would you like to improve as a student? The more specific you are, the more I can address these areas during the semester. For example, instead of saying you'd like to improve your writing, say, "teachers have told me I have good ideas but don't always support them well with quotations from the reading."
4. Would you call yourself more of a talker or a listener in class? If a talker, suggest what you could do—and how I can help you—to improve your listening skills. If a listener, suggest would you could do—and how I can help you—to improve your talking skills.
5. Finally, introduce yourself to me as a person--what would you like me to know about you. For example, tell me an accomplishment you’re proud of or something unique or quirky about you.
Friday 9/11
Discussion of The White Tiger. Writing assignment due: 400 words minimum, double-spaced, typed, 12 pt. font like Times New Roman. Please answer the following question:
Is Munna/Balram truly free at the end of the novel? Why/why not? Please point to specific passages and examples.
*** This will be graded pass/fail. Please write informally; this is not a formal essay but more of a meditation on the novel.
Monday 9/14
Continue reviewing The White Tiger. Also, please peruse in reader Gayatri Spivak's article on the subaltern. Don't worry if you can't understand her writing style; her ideas are what matter here and we will discuss them in class.
Also, please write a second response on The White Tiger. This response should be 300 words (please do a word count if you're not sure you've made it to 300). Please do this response online.
Tuesday 9/15--Read Pseudolus, "Introduction," and Act I, Scenes I-IV (pp. 2-19). Response due: 350 words.
Thursday 9/17--
* Read Pseudolus, Act 1, Scene 5 - Act II (pp. 19-30).
* Vocab quiz #1 on Wordbook 8.
Friday 9/18--Read Pseudolus, Act III-IV (pp. 30-45). Response due. 300 words.