"Blood Burning Moon"

What is this story really about? State the subject matter, and articulate the central insight about this subject matter Toomer relays to the reader.

How do you understand the character of Louisa in terms of her authentic feelings about the two men in her life?

Why is the omen of the moon in this story at all?

Connect or distinguish the use of song/music in this story to its use in other stories?

Take the subject matter of colonialism in this story and write one sentence that voices a strong argument. Make sure your argument could be supported just using this story as your evidence.

Write about any idea that struck you while doing your reading.

Who is the narrator of this story? Is the narrator biased, and if so, in whose favor?

Do either or both of the men love Louisa? What evidence do you have for your viewpoint?

"Go where you want to go, do what you want to do..."

"This [blog] is for you."

See both blogs and select a Question

There's a blog entry for each story; look at them both; be prepared

to ask questions about both stories on Monday; I would appreciate

your blogging before Monday morning please! Thank you.

Education Is Not a Guarantor of Humanity

1. Examine the first two paragraphs of Walker's Everyday Use. How much foreshadowing can you find in it? Pick out individual words and/or phrases and show how they prepare us for things that come/happen later in the story. Why is so much time spent on describing the dirt yard? Why the simile comparing it to a living room?

2. How does Dee's mother's dream of the television show reveal Dee's character? How about the way Dee read to her family while she was growing up? What does that tell us about Dee?

3. Why does Dee change her name? What is her mistake?

4. What contributes most to Maggie's manner? Is Maggie an important character in her own right, or is she only a foil character, a character whose presence illuminates another's. Make a good argument with evidence either way. You must support your viewpoint.

5. Who is the colonialist in this story? Why is that ironic? Explain.

On "Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter"

Please remember the following: I'd like you to read my posts before you comment; however, if none of them suit you, feel free to start your own topic by blogging on what interests you. Tell us what interests you,why it interests you, where it's brought up in the story, and why you think it's significant to the idea of enslavement and the sub-topic of characterization. Thanks!

1. The narrator remarks about Mrs Dutta, "And so she has been putting off her reply [to Mrs. Basu] while in her heart family loyalty battles with insidious feelings of ---- but she turns from them quickly and will not name them even to herself" ( Charters 357).

After completing this story, what do you believe are those feelings she refuses to name to herself? What evidence do you have for your answer?

2. Here is the final paragraph of the entire story: "Pausing to read over what she has written, Mrs. Dutta is surprised to discover this: Now that she no longer cares whether tears blotch her letter, she feels no need to weep" (369 Charters)

Explicate these lines. Here are a few of my questions. Exactly what is Mrs. Dutta surprised to discover? Why doesn't she care about blotching her letter, and why doesn't she have any need to weep? What has happened to her? How? Why?

4. "Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter" is the title of the story. Why is the writing of the letter so important? Note that from early on in the story, Mrs. Dutta spends a lot of time thinking about this letter and what to write, but the story is not called "Mrs. D. Thinks About a Letter." Also, why is the title so focused on the "letter"? Does the letter get mailed? Why is the letter so significant? Why doesn't Divakaruni name this story "Mrs. Dutta Overhears her Daughter-in-law"? Explain.

5. Connect this story and any character in it to any character in another story. State the specific connection you are making and, most importantly, the significance of that connection, and what you'd like us to see and learn from the connection you are making.

Grading Guide (Based on College Board’s essay scoring procedures)

Grade of A:

An essay in this category demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors. A typical essay:

· Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position

· Is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas

· Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate and apt vocabulary

· Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure

· Is free of most errors in grammar, usage and mechanics

Grade of B:

An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, although it has occasional errors or lapses in quality. A typical essay:

· Effectively develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates strong critical thinking, generally using appropriate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position

· Is well organized and focused, demonstrating coherence and progression of ideas

· Exhibits facility in the use of language, using appropriate vocabulary

· Demonstrates variety in sentence structure

· Is generally free of most errors in grammar, usage and mechanics

Grade of C:

An essay in this category demonstrates adequate mastery, although it has lapses in quality. A typical essay:

· Develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates competent critical thinking, using adequate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position

· Is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas

· Exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, using generally appropriate vocabulary

· Demonstrates some variety in sentence structure

· Has some errors in grammar, usage and mechanics

Grade of D:

An essay in this category demonstrates a developing mastery, and is marked by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:

· Develops a point of view on the issue, demonstrating some critical thinking, but may do so inconsistently or use inadequate examples, reasons or other evidence to support its position

· Is limited in its organization or focus, or may demonstrate some lapses in coherence or progression of ideas

Displays developing facility in the use of language, but sometimes uses weak vocabulary or inappropriate word choice

· Lacks variety or demonstrates problems in sentence structure

· Contains an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage and mechanics

Failing Grade:

An essay in this category demonstrates little mastery, and is flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:

· Develops a point of view on the issue that is vague or seriously limited, and demonstrates weak critical thinking, providing inappropriate or insufficient examples, reasons or other evidence to support its position

· Is poorly organized and/or focused, or demonstrates serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas

· Displays very little facility in the use of language, using very limited vocabulary or incorrect word choice

· Demonstrates frequent problems in sentence structure

· Contains errors in grammar, usage and mechanics so serious that meaning is somewhat obscured

Some other Artists in Other Genres to Explore Alongside the Literature, particularly "Sonny's Blues"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTHHJySDNEM

I might show this on Monday in Mega section. The ending, especially, reminds me of what the older brother has to do in Baldwin's story. Perhaps we all must do this to create and to relate. What do you think?

http://www.hannavongoeler.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=15679&Akey=K6CELP9C

A crucial and important text for everything and for all economic-political theories from Marxism through postcolonialism. It explores our relationship to money. Read the artist's text with her intention here. Somehow after seeing this I was immediately reminded of how the Zimbabwe paper used their deflated money. Money is a great source of enslavement worldwide.

"Sonny's Blues" -- When Darkness Glows

Please read all 3 before you decide what you wish to blog about. Thank you.

Consider all the images of darkness in this story; if you list all of them, you will discover Baldwin's development (not a repetition) of a concept here. Which characters are associated with darkness? What does it mean for each character? Do the characters know others' darkness or only their own? Why or why not? Are they isolated? Can you mark a particular moment or certain moments of community in the story? What allows these moments to happen? Contrast the darkness in the story with the image of the "glowing" "cup of trembling." Can you discuss that "glowing" "cup of trembling"?

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Two brothers from one household, one follows a straight and narrow path teaching algebra, and one becomes a heroin addict. One closes himself off from parts of life, and one is totally exposed and vulnerable to the storms and balmy weather the world has to offer. One thinks, "My trouble made his real" -- an important line in the story. Can you speak about this line and the brothers' relationship?

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Tina asked "What's love gotta do with it?"

Dr. Pruss asks, "What's music gotta do with it?"

Take this and run with it.