Week of 3/10
We will have a salon, attended by some of the greatest minds of the Enlightenment era.
You will be assigned one Enlightenment figure and write a 3-5 page biography about that person. Your paper must be typed and double-spaced. You must cite your paper using the MLA method of documentation. You must consult a minimum of 3 books to get a well-rounded view of your person. Additionally, internet sites are permissible but only those that are of high quality – stay away from Wikipedia. You are required to consult AND cite any books, pamphlets, or letters that were written by the figure you are studying. Remember primary sources are usually the best method for deciphering the point of view of your figure.
Option #2 – Create a Letter of Introduction and Resume - You will identify a specific university department and program that best matches your personality
Know your person well, from the moment you walk into the room you will be portraying them in class in a salon setting discussing topics that were pertinent to that time.
You will 'mingle' with the other great minds before the salon officially begins and will hand out your 'business card' to at least six people (one handed to me). Each business card should include a brief quote that captures the essence of your person's beliefs.
Part of the Salon is writing a journal reflecting on their experience, in character, relating with whom you have conversed, topic of your conversation, etc.. (due the following class meeting)
To prepare for our discussion
Take two to three pages of notes pertaining to your person's life and his/her criticism of society, government, religion, etc. You should also investigate his/her major written works, and any other pertinent information of significant interest. Use your notes to show me you understand your figure's ideas. In other words, don't just repeat word for word what the sources say, put it in your own words. If there is an idea or a phrase that you don't understand, don't just copy it down; think about it until you understand it.
The notes may be either typed or hand-written. You may either write up the notes for each of your sources individually (in which case, just put the bibliographical information about each source at the top of each section of notes), or you may group all your notes by theme or idea (in which case, stick in citations, and include the bibliographical information at the end of your notes, in a "Works Cited."
You will turn in the notes after the salon, so be sure you have your name on the notes, as well as a bibliography.
The Salon
Feel free to dress up, bring props, etc.!! We will discuss a number of controversial subjects from the Enlightenment era, including (but not necessarily limited to) government, religion, education, male-female relations, and social classes. To participate effectively in this discussion you should understand your figure's positions on these issues and be able to speak about them AS IF you were that person. Know what your person said, and be able to extrapolate from what he said to fill in any gaps.
In class, consider it a conversation. You should converse with the other participants, just as if you were conversing with people around the lunch table, or on the couches. The best performances will show a combination of naturalness in presentation and good knowledge of the person's views.