Topic: Reading Response

Order Description Assignment Background: The literature from this course has been greatly influenced by the authors’ perceptions of their individual cultures and circumstances, which is universal among pieces of great literature. Our authors have a “Midwest Sensibility” that will be demonstrated in every narrative, in every section, at every point in our semester. Though the authors, subjects, and/or characters may be particularly Midwestern, the themes and lessons are universal. All people and cultures view the world through their own lenses. Race, religion, nationality, regionality, sexual orientation, etc. all have an effect on the way people are treated—or the way they believe they are being treated—at some point in their lives. It follows, then, that your heritage, lifestyle, or culture can have an extraordinary impact on your perception of the world. Writing Prompt: For this Essay, you will have to examine your own background and explain how your experiences affect the way you relate to the reading assigned this semester (excluding Millard's novel). Start by defining yourself. Do you simply consider yourself an American, Korean, Italian, or other single nationality, or do you consider yourself to be of a particular nationality type (Italian American, for example)? Perhaps you identify more with a particular category, i.e. Mothers, Christians, Republicans, Scientists, West Coasters, Environmentalists. All of these components make up the filter through with you read literature. Every essay must use specific examples from the reading, including quotes, to demonstrate your assertions. Consider these questions: What are the most important aspects of your life and your personal history? In other words, what aspects of your background impacted your interpretation of the literature? This is a narrative essay in which it is permissible to use first person (but not second person) pronouns. All other formal writing conventions must be followed. Length Requirement: Essays must be between 500-600 words—no longer or shorter. Citation and Formatting Requirements: The purpose of this assignment is to make a connection between your life (real life) and literature, so you must include passages from the reading with proper MLA in-text citations. No Works Cited page is required. If you fail to make connections with the text and leave out quotes and/or citations, your essay will be incomplete. All essays must follow MLA formatting rules. If you need an MLA format instruction sheet, please let me know. Reading Assignment for the Semester English 223 Assignment Schedule—Fall 2016 **Always read the biographical information about each author BEFORE reading the stories assigned. Weeks Assignments—To be completed BEFORE class Section 1: Human Relationships Week 1 Th 1/21 Intro to the Midwest—People, Income, Livelihood In Class: Video Introduction to 1950’s Chicago Week 2 Th 1/28 Video, “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry Week 3 Th 2/4 Topic: African American Traditions in Middle America Discussion of “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry Topic: African American Traditions (and Obstacles) in Middle America Read: “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, p. 47-49 Read, “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, p. 38-41 Read: “Accountability” by Paul Laurence Dunbar In Class: Video, “I Am Human” by Maya Angelou Week 4 Th 2/11 Topic: Race and Religion Read: “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, p. 10-13 Read: “The Mormon Experience” Supplemental Documents from Canvas Discuss Movie Analysis Assignment and Assign Due Dates Introduction to Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic Week 5 Th 2/18 Topic: Gender Expectations in the Heartland Read: “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olson, p. 2-9 Due: Topic Reflection Paragraph--Submit through Discussion Board on Canvas before class Due: 2 Movie Analysis Presentations and Written Movie Reviews Section 2: The Land Ethic and Small Town America Week 6 Th 2/25 Topic: The Land Ethic and Farming Read: “Dust Bowl History and Stories”, p. 18-27 In Class: Video, The Dust Bowl Era Novel Discussion: Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic. Read: Destiny of the Republic, Part 1 Due: 2 Movie Analysis Presentations and Written Movie Reviews Week 7 Th 3/3 Topic: Land Ethic Read: A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, p.14-17 Topic: Farming Read: “So God Made a Farmer” by Paul Harvey, p. 89 Due: Millard Reading Analysis 1—Submit Online Before Class Due: 3 Movie Analysis Presentations and Written Movie Reviews Week 8 Th 3/10 Topic: Small Town America Read: “A Clean Well-Lighted Place,” by Ernest Hemingway, p. 109-116 Read: “Paper Pills” by Sherwood Anderson (from Winesburg, Ohio), p. 105-108 Novel Discussion: Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic. Read: Destiny of the Republic, Part 2 Due: Topic Reflection Paragraph--Submit through Discussion Board on Canvas before class Due: Response Essay 1--Submit online before Sunday (10/18) 11:55 p.m. Due: 2 Movie Analysis Presentations and Written Movie Reviews Spring Break March 14-20: Be Safe. Be Smart. Enjoy the Break. The Professor will be off-line and the college will be closed. English 223 Syllabus – Spring 2016 Section 3: The Midwest Livelihood and City Life Week 9 Th 3/24 Topic: Immigration and Manufacturing Read: Excerpts from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, p. 28-34 In Class: Video Topic: Manufacturing and Immigrants Read: “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg, p. 35-37 Introduction to Prohibition Due: 2 Movie Analysis Presentations and Written Movie Reviews Week 10 Th 3/31 Topic: City Life and Prohibition Read: F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography, p. 96-98 In Class: Video, The Great Gatsby (Based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald) Week 11 Th 4/7 Read: Selection from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, p. 102-104 Read: “The Lost Decade” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, p. 99-101 Due: Topic Reflection Paragraph--Submit through Discussion Board on Canvas before class Week 12 Th 4/14 Topic: Presidential Perspectives on Slavery Read: Abraham Lincoln Biographical Information, p. 56-59 Read: Tried by War, Selection, by James McPherson, p. 60-61 Read: “A Letter to Joshua Speed,” by Abraham Lincoln p. 62-65 Read: Destiny of the Republic, Part 3 Movie Reviews Week 13 Th 4/21 Topic: The Power of the Presidency In Class: Video, Lincoln Week 14 Read: The Audacity of Hope, Excerpt, by Barack Background Information: Chinese American, Born in Qingdao China. moved to U.S. age 14. After high school joined U.S. navy for 6 years, stationed in South Korea and Japan.