Assignment 30: "Entering the Conversation"

Cartoon by Mark Stivers

30.  After you have read the "Introduction: Entering the Conversation" to They Say/I Say (2nd edition), complete EITHER exercise 1 on page 14 or exercise 2 on page 15. You  choose.  E-mail a copy to me before class and bring a hard copy to class as well.  Due by the start of class on Wednesday, March 2nd.

Assignment 29

29. Read "Introduction: Entering the Conversation" (pp. 1-15) of They Say/I Say (2nd edition) by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein by the beginning of class on Monday, February 28th.

Attention personal essayists . . .

Stupid, eh?  Yeah, I'm Stupid. Stupid like a fox!

Consider minimizing:

1. Everybody's-stupid-except-me rants (unless they are unusually perceptive or funny); 

2. shallow wisdom (a. k.a . pre-fabricated sermonettes);

3. generic identifiers (e.g.:  "the car").

Consider maximizing:

1. Everybody's-stupid-and-so-am-I rants;

2. reflections that convey meaning (but not always clarity) without being tied up with a moral-of-the-story bow; 

3. specific descriptors (e.g.:  "an unwashed '97 blue Taurus with a peeling "I'm a User" bumper sticker in the back window on the driver's side").

Assignments 26, 27, 28

Generic Car

26.  E-mail me a copy of an academic essay you have written.  It could be one you are satisfied with or one you'd like to work on more.  Due before class on Wednesday, February 23rd.

27.  Find a relatively generic phrase or word in one of your five first paragraphs and describe it with greater specific detail.  E-mail me a copy of the original sentence and the revised sentence (or sentences). Bring a hard copy to class.  Due before class on Wednesday, February 23rd.

Specific Car

28.  Develop one of your first five paragraphs in the direction of a full-length essay (minimum:  two paragraphs, but you'll benefit more if you get more a draft out there).  E-mail me a copy and bring a hard copy to class.  Due before class on Wednesday, February 23rd. 

Assignment 25

25. Read any essay in The Art of the Personal Essay that interests you. As you are reading, be on the lookout for a vocabulary word that is new to you. Look up its definition and e-mail it to me along with the sentence where you found it and the title of the essay after you have finished reading the entire essay. Due before class on Monday, February 21st.  Come to class on Monday ready to discuss the essay and the ways that it corresponds with the qualities Lopate attributes to the personal essay in the introduction. Also take note of interesting turns of phrase or turns of thought, effective descriptive passages or intriguing ideas.

Be prepared to identify the essay's positive qualities (even if you don't endorse it).  We'll be playing "the believing game" in class.

You may choose to create a "conversation starter" for this essay.  If so, e-mail it to me before class.  You do not need to print copies for everyone in the class.

Write a full-length personal essay

Picasso at work. Photo: Andre Villers

Your essay should have some of the qualities described by Lopate in his introduction to The Art of the Personal Essay.

How long is "full-length"?  Comparable to the length of the essays in our textbook.  Include a word count at the end.

Bring a hard copy to class and e-mail me a copy as well.

Due by the start of class on Friday, February 25th.

Assignment 24

Hook Turn Sign in Melbourne

24.  Write the first paragraph of five essays you would like to write.  Try to give them titles and openings that will hook a reader's interest.  Consider including an intriguing turn. As you write them, publish them as 5 separate posts on your blog.  When you have written them all, e-mail a copy of all five to me in a single e-mail.  Bring five hard copies to class on the due date. Due by the start of class on Friday, February 18th.

Assignment 23

23. Read "For My Brothers and Sisters in the Failure Business" by Seymour Krim (577-586). As you are reading, be on the lookout for a vocabulary word that is new to you. Look up its definition and e-mail it to me along with the sentence where you found it after you have finished reading the entire essay. Due before class on Wednesday, February16th. Come to class on Wednesday ready to discuss the essay and the ways that it corresponds with the qualities Lopate attributes to the personal essay in the introduction. Also take note of interesting turns of phrase or turns of thought, effective descriptive passages or intriguing ideas.

Paula will be providing a "conversation starter" for this essay.

Assignment 22

Edward Hoagland

22.  Read "The Courage of Turtles" by Edward Hoagland (1968; 657-662).  As you are reading, be on the lookout for a  vocabulary word that is new to you.  Look up its definition and e-mail it to me along with the sentence where you found it after you have finished reading the entire essay.  Due before class on Friday, February 11th.  Come to class on Wednesday ready to discuss the essay and the ways that it corresponds with the qualities Lopate attributes to the personal essay in the introduction.  Also take note of interesting turns of phrase or turns of thought, effective descriptive passages or intriguing ideas.

Chad Large will be providing a "conversation starter" for this essay.