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.