For Next Week: Part Four, "The Corner"

This is the LAST set of questions for the class, so if you've been behind in answering them, try to at least do these (and make up any that you've missed--you can do the last two, even though they're pretty late!).

Answer TWO of the following: 

Q1: While separated in prison, Perry writes in his diary, "Many thoughts of Dick," and suggests that the hardest thing for him is being separated from Dick. Does Capote suggest that Perry was in love with Dick? Is this feeling mutual? Might this also explain the "accident" that occurred at the Clutters? Is it just an irrelevant detail of a criminal's life...or an important  piece of context? 

Q2: What is revealing about the autobiographical sketches Dick and Perry write for the court psychiatrist? What do they reveal about their states of mind, mental competency, and general awareness of their crimes? Are they both playing at being victims? Are they enjoying their moment in the spotlight? Is this, in some sense, what both of them were waiting for?

Q3: On page 306, several people weigh in on what should happen to Dick and Perry, including the Reverend Post, who believes all criminals should have part of their brains removed to prevent further violence. What should be the just punishment for two men who killed a family for "forty dollars worth of loot"? Why do some people have problems with simply killing them, especially as the law allows it? What might some the 'gray areas' of hanging be? 

Q4: In general, why do so many people feel compassion and mercy for Perry, especially if he was truly the one who committed the murders?  Why do strangers such as Donald Cullivan travel all the way to Kansas in order to 'save' him? And why does even Dewey think he's an "exiled animal, a creature walking wounded, that the detective could not disregard" (341)? Is he simply good at duping people? Or is he another victim of this terrible accident in Holcomb, Kansas? 

Paper #4 assignment (and no class on Wednesday!)

 Remember that I had to cancel class on Wednesday, though I will be in my office working if you need me for any reason. The questions for Friday are in the post below this one. Try to finish Chapter 3, "Answer" by then, and we'll do some in-class writing in preparation. Also, Paper #4 is posted below, which I gave out in class yesterday:

English 1213

Paper #4: The Conversation of Crime

“It wasn’t because of anything the Clutter did. They never hurt me. Like other people. Like people have all my life. Maybe it’s just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it” (290).

INTRO: Some have accused In Cold Blood for glorifying monsters, for giving too much space for Perry and Dick to tell their stories. And what do we learn from these stories? That they feel that the world wronged them, and (as in the quote above) that someone had to pay for it? Should it matter why people kill, or just that they do kill? Why should the criminals be as important (or even more important) than the victims? And yet, isn’t that true of so many stories today: don’t we know the killers’ names much more than those they killed? Don’t we make movies about the monsters, and not the innocent? Did In Cold Blood start a trend that has replaced ethics with entertainment? Should we pay money to learn about the secret lives of people like Perry and Dick?

PROMPT: For your last paper, I want you to discuss the ethics of reading and writing about criminals. What should we be learning from their stories, if anything? Why did Capote devote so much of his story to Dick and Perry? What did he want us to see and experience? Is this useful? Is it ethical? Or does it distract from the single-minded pursuit of justice for unlawful acts? Respond to Capote’s story and either defend or refute his approach to writing about crime and criminals.

ALSO: Bring in another famous or somewhat famous crime where the criminals have gained notoriety because of what we wrote or said about them. Why is this? What was the fascination with their crimes? What did we learn about them? How does it compare with In Cold Blood? Does hearing the criminals in their own words really help us determine justice? Do we need to learn the context of murder? Does it really change anything: either what happened or how we feel about it? How much should we know?

REQUIREMENTS: no page limit, but make a convincing conversation with your ideas + Capote’s + 2-3 sources about another crime/criminal. You must QUOTE and cite according to MLA Format.

DUE: Friday, April 29^th by 5pm

For Next Week: Capote, Part Three: "Answers"

NOTE: You have all week to answer these questions, and we'll discuss the beginning, middle, and end of this chapter next week. Keep reading throughout the week and get as far as you can for each class. 

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: We get conflicting stories about the murder and its motivations: Perry claims that Dick is the "sick" one, who wanted to rape Nancy and cover the walls with blood...yet Dick claims that Perry is the one who murdered everyone, while he wished he had turned the gun on Perry. Which story do you believe? Or neither one? 

Q2: Perry's sister recalls her brother, when drunk, exclaiming that "I happen to have a brilliant mind...and talent plus. But no education, because he didn't want me to learn anything, only how to tote and carry for him. Dumb. Ignorant. That's the way he wanted me to be" (185). Do you think Capote believes that killers like Perry are made this way? Are parents and society largely to blame? Was Perry a budding genius cruelly neglected by his father? Or was he always going to be a "natural killer"?

Q3: Perry believes strongly in fate, and much of the book seems to hinge on strange coincidences and events. For example, when the Las Vegas police pick up the pair, Perry had just picked up a box from the post office (from Mexico) full of his souvenirs--including the boots he wore during the murder. Do you think Capote is trying to manipulate his narrative to make things seem divinely inspired? Is this real, or a novelistic trick of the author? 

Q4: Reflecting on the "answers" for the murder, Dewey says, "The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning. Except for one thing: they had experienced prolonged terror, they had suffered" (245-246). What do you think this says about the nature of evil?

For Monday: Capote, In Cold Blood, Part Two

NOTE: The Scissortail Extra Credit questions are the in the post BELOW this one

ALSO: Read as much of Part Two as you can, but you don't have to finish it for Monday. We'll discuss this chapter all week in class.  

Answer TWO of the following: 

Q1: Shortly after the crime, Perry confides to Dick that "There's got to be something wrong with somebody who'd do a thing like that" (108). He says this several times, though Dick basically shrugs it off, considering himself "a normal." Is Perry expressing regret or remorse here? What does he mean by this, and how might it explain something about why they did it in the first place?

Q2: Mrs. Dewey, the wife of one of the investigators, asks her husband, "Do  you think we'll ever have a normal life again?" (105). This is a question many people are asking themselves today, in the wake of COVID and social distancing. Why are they worried that life will change and never be 'normal' again after one family's death? What has changed in their eyes? 

Q3: Why does Capote include several long letters from the people in Perry's life--his father and his sister, especially? What do we learn about him through these letters, and why do you think he kept them (esp. as they are often very critical of his behavior)? 

Q4: Dewey, the lead investigator, felt that "at least one of the murderers was emotionally involved with the victims, and felt for them, even as he destroyed them" (103). What made him think this, and why did their seem to be a personal motive involved in the killings? As far as we know, was this true? 

Scissortail Creative Writing Festival Extra Credit

 REMEMBER, no class on Friday so you can attend (if you wish) a session or two of the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival. It starts Thursday morning and runs all day, with hour to 75 minute-long sessions, with a break for lunch and a break for dinner. There are also evening sessions (one) at 7:00. The entire schedule is here: https://ecuscissortail.blogspot.com/2022/01/2022-schedule-of-readings.html

Once you attend a session (or two), you can answer the following questions just like one of our daily readings to get extra credit. This can take the form of excused absences, missed responses, or simply a few extra credit points to  your grade, which can help border-line grades at the end of the semester. 

Answer all FOUR:

Q1: Which author did you find most interesting in the session and why? Did you connect more with their material, their performance, or something else? Would you read more of their works if you could? Would you recommend it to others? 

Q2: In general,  how did the readers perform their works? Was one more physical or theatrical than another? Or were all more or less the same? Did one's performance help you 'see' or understand their material? Did one make it more difficult to hear or understand it? 

Q3: Discuss the audience for your session: how did they react to the different pieces? How can you tell when an audience likes or is less interested in a piece? Did they clap between pieces? Did you often know why they were clapping (was it obvious)? Did anything about the audience reaction surprise you?

Q4: How did all the pieces in your session work together--or not? Did they seem to complement each other? Or was one very different or almost out of place? Did one help you appreciate another one? And did you like the fact that they weren't all poets, or they weren't all reading fiction? 

For Wednesday: Capote, In Cold Blood, pp.36-74 (the rest of Chapter One)

Be sure to get me your Paper #3 by 5pm on Monday! You can still turn it in late, but you lose -10 pts. for each day afterwards (5pm Monday to 5pm Tuesday counts as one day, etc.). 

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: The concept of fate runs through the entire book, and terrible decisions seem to be made by chance encounters or strange coincidences. How does fate itself seem to play a role in the murder? Why might Perry be particularly influenced by the idea of fate?

Q2: Writing of the nearest 'big' town, Capote says, “Without exception, Garden Citians deny that the population of the town can be socially graded…but, of course, class distinctions are as clearly observed, and as clearly observable, as in any other human hive. A hundred miles west and one would be out of the “Bible Belt,” that gospel-haunted strip of American territory in which a man must, if only for business reasons, take his religion with the straightest of faces…” (34). Why is the setting of the novel as important as the murder itself, at least for Capote? How could it have also (like fate) been an accomplice? 

Q3: What is strange about how Dick and Perry murder the Clutter family? Why does it lead the police to believe that the murderers were someone who obviously knew the family, and possibly held them a particular grudge? 

Q4: Besides the horror of losing people they knew and loved (the Clutters), what is the greatest aftermath of the murder? How does it begin to change the town and make them look at themselves, and the world, in a different light? 

For Monday: No Class--Paper #3 due!

Remember that Paper #3 is due by 5pm on Monday, so there's no class. Instead, finish the paper, and then keep reading In Cold Blood for Wednesday's class (I'll post new questions later on Monday).

ALSO, we won't have class on Friday since I want to encourage you to go to ECU's Scissortail Creative Writing Festival, Oklahoma's largest writing festival right here at East Central. There will be over 70 authors from all over the country reading their works, signing their books, and in general, just sharing their love of the written word. Instead of coming to class on Friday, go to one of the 9:00 sessions in the Cole Student Center, or sleep in and go to one of the later sessions. There are dozens of sessions from Thursday to Saturday, and you can find the entire schedule here: scissortail creative writing festival: 2022: Schedule of Readings (ecuscissortail.blogspot.com)

I will give you an Extra Credit assignment on Wednesday which you can complete for up to 2 sessions. More information on that to follow.

See you on Wednesday! 

For Friday: Capote, In Cold Blood, pages 3-36

NOTE: Read at least to page 36 in In Cold Blood, but feel free to real more of the first chapter if you like. I'll give you more reading over the weekend for next Wednesday, so you'll have plenty of time to finish the chapter.

Answer TWO of the following: 

Q1: Truman Capote is reconstructing the events leading up the murder based on interviews and his own intuition. He wasn't literally in the car with the killers to hear their conversation, and he never even met the victims. Do you think it's fair to write a fictional reconstruction of 'real' events like this? Did it bother you--or did it help you understand the events?

Q2: For most people in the town, the Clutters were the perfect American family: successful, close-knit, and high-achieving. And while Capote doesn't contradict this portrait, what secrets did the family keep behind the scenes? What makes them less 'perfect' than appearances might show?

Q3: Why was Dick so drawn to Perry? As Capote depicts them, they're very different people, and at times don't even seem to like each other very much. What made them 'fated' to be together, in his eyes?

Q4: Writing about the town of Holcomb, Capote notes, "The inhabitants of the village, numbering two hundred and seventy, were satisfied that this should be so, quite content to exist inside ordinary life--to work, to hunt, to watch television, to attend school socials, choir practice, meetings of the 4-H Club" (5). Based on this, what makes Holcomb worthy of writing about in a book like this? Since most people have never even heard of it, why is a murder in Holcomb a national event? What makes Holcomb uniquely 'American'? 

Paper #3: The Art Critic, due March 28th

Paper #3: The Art Critic  

For this paper, I want you to choose ONE painting from Schmied’s book, Edward Hopper: Portraits of America to write about. You are going to write a 2-3 page spread on this painting, just like the ones you can read on paintings such as Office at Night and New York Movie. This should be a brief (so no more than 3 pages, double spaced) introduction to the painting that helps someone understand the ‘conversation’ about the painting: the CONTEXT of the painting (historical details, cultural details, etc.) plus a READING of the painting (what you see, what others see). Imagine what people don’t know and might need to know about this painting (and Hopper) to really appreciate this work of art. You don’t have to describe the painting, but feel free to point out specific details, something we might not notice, or you feel is important. Don’t go into too much detail, but do enough to be useful; quote when necessary, but be sure to cite all the information you learned from your sources.

To help you do this, I want you to find FIVE sources on this painting, from each of the following categories (ONE of which should be Schmied’s book):

• A source about the painting, or a discussion of the painting
• A source about another painting of the same period to compare it to this one
• A source about Hopper (his life, ideas, etc.) that is relevant to the painting in some way
• A source about the time period (context about what was going on then that could be relevant to understanding the painting)
• A source about the location of the painting (where it takes place: for example, what is an “automat?”)
• OR A source about the person’s occupation (gas station attendant, movie usher, etc.)

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: Instead of a normal Works Cited page, I want you to list all 5 sources along with 1-2 sentences about each one, briefly summarizing what it’s about. Imagine that the person reading this article might want to read these sources to find out more information about the painting; your summaries will help them decide which ones are the most useful to them.

Ex: Schmied, Wieland. Edward Hopper: Portraits of America. New York: Prestel, 2005. Schmied’s book offers an overview of Hopper’s career, along with some biographical details to help you understand the major themes and ideas of his paintings. (don’t use this summary in your paper—write your own! J )

DUE MONDAY, MARCH 28^th by 5pm [no class that day]

For Wednesday: Schmeid, Hopper: Portraits of America, pp.80-106

NOTE: Read through the rest of the book for Wednesday's class, though don't worry if you can't quite finish. We'll spend more time with the book even though we're technically done with the questions. On Friday, we'll do some in-class writing and discuss the next paper assignment, and what I want you to do with this book going forward (stay tuned!).

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: Hopper likes to paint different versions of the same basic scene or idea, even if they look quite different at first. Which painting in this part of the book seems to be a new version of an earlier one (Nighthawks, etc)? Why do you think so? What thematic links do we see from one picture to the other? Is it a similar character? Mood? Time of day? Story?

Q2: Schmied writes that Hopper's characters "are mobile and restless, yet statically tied to some location from which they will probably never escape" (84). This suggests that many of his subjects are running away--or running to something. Do you think he means this to be hopeful or pessimistic? Which painting shows someone "mobile but restless," and how do you read the situation of the subject?

Q3: Schmied also notes how many characters in his paintings are drawn to the light--like moths to the flame. Over and over again, we see character basking in the light or being exposed in it (New York Office, Sunlight on Brownstones, etc.). Why do you think this is a favorite subject for Hopper? What does the light mean in these paintings? Is it a spotlight? A prison? Something else??

Q4: In one of his strangest paintings, People in the Sun (p.104), Hopper paints a group portrait of people lounging in the sun together. What do you think is the mood or story of this picture? Does it feel 'warmer' or 'happier' because no one is alone in this painting? Or is it just as creeper and isolated as many of the paintings with only one or two people in it? Why do you think so? 

For Monday: Schmeid, Edward Hopper: Portraits of America (pp.50-79)

NOTE: Be sure to check your e-mail this weekend, since I'll be grading your papers and e-mailing the rubric & grade for your paper. If you want a hard copy as well, let me know and I can bring it on Monday. 

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: Schemid writes that Hopper's paintings create "a world without a future. And perhaps the oddest thing of all--it includes no children. Hopper never portrayed a child. His is a world of adults condemned to extinction, and conscious of the fact" (54). Do you agree? And if so, which painting best seems to characterize this sense of doom and extinction? And if not, what other mood/philosophy might his paintings communicate to the viewer?

Q2: Another thing Schmeid notes in Hopper's paintings in that they "exclude everything that has come to be associated with the American cliche" (53). What do you think the "American cliche" would be at this time (or in our time)? What subjects or ideas does he never paint, and why might his works (though fictional) be more realistic than most paintings of the period? Esp. ones like Nighthawks, New York Movie, Hotel Room, etc.

Q3: How might two of his most famous paintings, "Office at Night," and "Nighthawks" be different versions of the same general painting or idea? What do they each have in common? What does each one seem to say about people, relationships, the city, and night? 

Q4: Many of Hopper's paintings seem voyeuristic, meaning that it's like the viewer is spying on people who think they're all alone, doing normal, day-to-day activities. Hopper did this because he claimed, "the most mundane human situations can also be the most deceptive and revealing" (72). Which painting do you feel shows something normal and revealing? What do we see that his 'hidden' or surprising about this activity? 

For Friday: Schmeid, Hopper: Portraits of America, pp.7-49

Remember: even though several pages are just paintings, look at those too! There are different types of 'reading' to do in this book, so think about how the paintings work with the text. That will be important for answering the questions, and later, for your next paper assignment.

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: According to Schmeid, what makes Hopper a "timeless" painter? Also, what makes him uniquely American? Why do his paintings look American as opposed to French or German? How can you see this in a painting? 

Q2: Hopper writes that "Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision in the world" (33). According to what we learn about him in these pages, how did his 'inner life' match up with some of his paintings? Which painting in this section seems to most represent his character?

Q3: One of his most curious paintings is Gas (1940) on pages 30-31. Schmeid notes that the painting is "set at the frontier between day and night, between civilization and nature. The gas station has the appearance of a last outpost" (30). How do you feel about this painting? Is it supposed to be depressing or hopeful? A 'light' in the darkness? Or a scene of the 'darkness' about to take over the light? How does it make you feel (and why)?

Q4: How might the painting New York Movie (1939) represent Schmeid's comment that "Hopper's paintings began to take on the character of illustrations in reverse, illustrations without a subject predetermined by others" (40)? Why might this painting look like an "illustration" rather than just a painting of a woman? 

For Wednesday: Hopper, Portraits of America

Remember that Paper #2 is due by 5pm on Wednesday (not during class). Check the second post down which has information about finding sources if you missed today's class (or simply forgot what we covered).

For Wednesday, we're going to start discussing the book on Edward Hopper, Portraits of America. You don't have to start reading yet, but if you have time, we'll read pages 7-41 for Friday. However, for our next class, flip through the book and choose ONE painting to answer the following TWO questions:

Q1: What do you think is happening in this painting? What is the 'story' that's taking place before, after, or during the painting? Why do you think he painted it? 

Q2: The author of the book writes that Hopper's paintings "perceive things that remain hidden to us, beyond our field of view" (74). How does this painting show us things we might not otherwise notice? What kinds of things/ideas does he seem most interested in...and why don't we often see them? 

Schedule Change and Paper #2 due date--moved back!

Having lost two more days to the snow, I'm going to change the schedule slightly and move back the Paper #2 due date to Wednesday instead of Monday. You can find the Paper #2 assignment a few posts below this one if you've lost it. The new schedule is as follows:

W 23               SNOW DAY

F 25                 SNOW DAY

 

M 28                Writing Workshop #7  

MARCH

W 2                 Schmeid, Portraits of America / Paper #2 due by 5pm 

F 4                  Schmeid, Portraits of America 

 

M 7                  Schmeid, Hopper: Portraits of America

W 9                 Schmeid, Hopper: Portraits of America

F 11                 Writing Workshop #9

 

M 14                Spring Break

W 16               Spring Break

F 18                 Spring Break

 

Tips on Finding Sources for Paper #2! (we'll talk about this more on Friday)

Finding Sources for Paper #2

If I was writing a paper about the advice society gives us about success vs. what I feel/know, I would talk about “impostor syndrome.” Society tells us that successful people are confident people, and you just need confidence and courage to succeed. But most people who succeed then feel like impostors, like they ‘faked’ their way to success. So the best advice I’ve learned is that this is a real thing that everyone feels (more or less), and we need to acknowledge it and learn how to deal with it. So the question is, who else is talking about this, and where to find their words/ideas?

Linscheid Library—EBSCO Discovery Service

• Use this like you would Google, except you’ll have access to thousands of academic journals, reviews, and other legitimate sources
• For example, let’s say I want to search for “impostor syndrome.” Choose “Articles” from the top tabs, and then choose “All Subjects.” Later you can confine this to “full text” articles, too.
• I found a number of great articles, including a recent one from 2020 entitled “Feeling Like a Fraud?” by Jasmine Aquino. I can read this on-line, save it to my computer, e-mail it to myself, and even learn how to cite it according to MLA format! (check the Tools on the right hand side).

Wikipedia

• Don’t quote from a Wikipedia page, since it has no author, and therefore is not a legitimate source (anyone can technically change a Wikipedia article, or make opinions look like facts).
• However, you can scroll down to the bottom of an article and look at the Links and References, many of which are clickable sources that are legitimate.
• For example, on the “Impostor Syndrome” I found a great article from 2015 called “Learning to Deal With the Impostor Syndrome” by Carl Richards. It would be a great addition to the conversation of advice in my paper, since it tells younger people how to deal with this issue, which many people face, and don’t have a name for (or think it’s just them).

Some Other Valuable Paper Resources

* Interview with Neil Hughes, one of the 49-Up participants (we didn’t see his part) who has some great advice: “if you can change your neighborhood, you change the world.” Link: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/03/neil-hughes-seven-up-63-up-itv-documentary

* Interview with Michael Apted, director of the Up-Series, on what the film shows us about society and the people in it: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/03/neil-hughes-seven-up-63-up-itv-documentary

* The Latest Stories from Humans of New York--longer stories, and lots of advice! https://www.humansofnewyork.com/

* "Seven Things I Wish I Knew at 18," an article by Tywan Wade: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/seven-things-i-wish-i-kne_b_5413757

Paper #2: The Nature of Success: due Monday, Feb.28th!

NOTE: The Conference Schedule is in the post BELOW this one...

English 1213/Paper #2: The Nature of Success

A “Conversation Paper” is a paper that introduces your audience to a conversation going on in our society, and brings in other voices (sources) to discuss it along with your own. To truly understand why a topic matters, we need to see several sides of the story, and we need you to guide us through it, helping us see which side/argument has the most validity, in your opinion.

For this paper, I want you to have the conversation: what does it mean to be successful in our society vs. what do I think it means to be successful? As you try to write this paper, consider some of the following ideas:

• What do you think it means to be successful according to society? Where do we see this (shows, movies, ads, etc.)?
• Is success based more on comfort or happiness? Does one lead to another?
• Is there only one way? Or are there multiple theories?
• What unique challenges does your generation face in becoming successful? Why is it different for you?
• How do older people define it vs. younger people? What advice might older people give you (esp. in 49 Up?).
• What ‘bad advice’ does our society give about success? Hw do we know its bad?
• Who are your role models in finding success today? What did they do at your age, or what are they doing at your age?
• Is college the key to success in our society? Or does it no longer work like it’s supposed to? Is anything a guaranteed ticket to success?

REQUIREMENTS

• Use Humans of New York as one of your sources, citing 2-3 people in the book as support. Discuss how their pictures and stories help us understand the nature of success in our society.
• Find 2-3 other sources that help you discuss any of the above questions (or related ones). You can use ideas and people in 49 Up, or you can find articles, websites, or other films/shows to help support your ideas. But remember, you need to show evidence of how we define it, challenge it, and what you’re responding to.
• At least 4 pages, double spaced (though you can write more!). Remember, you’re trying to introduce your readers to this subject, explain the different views and ideas, and persuade them of your view. You’ll need several pages to do this correctly.
• DUE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28^th BY 5pm

For Next Week: Paper #1 Conferences

 Remember, all conferences are in my office, HM 348, right next to our classroom. If you need to reschedule, just let me know and I'll find another time for you to come. 

MONDAY

11:00 Destiny

11:10 Linea

11:20 Chandler

11:30 Laney

11:40 Ahlyra

11:50 Grace

2:00-2:50 (Open)

WEDNESDAY                                 FRIDAY

9:30 Caitlyn    

11:00 Cristal                                11:00 Oladotun 

11:10 Trevor                                11:10 Harley

11:20 Easton                               11:20 Donovan

11:30 Brittney                             11:30 Lilly   

11:40 Caleb                                11:40 Alec 

11:50 Kylie                                 11:50 (open)

2:00-2:50 (open, both days) 

This Week: Watching the documentary, 49-Up (2005)

If you missed class on Monday, we started watching the British documentary, 49-Up, which is a series of films that started in 1964, when the filmmakers chose a bunch of 7-year olds to interview about what they thought about life, love, and society. They then decided to follow up with these kids every 7 years to watch them grow and develop. Well, in this documentary they're now 49, and the film shows clips of them at all different ages before interviewing them again at 49. We don't have time to watch them all, so we watched 3 interviews today, and will watch another 3 on Wednesday. On Friday we'll do an in-class writing response based on it, which will play into your Paper #2 assignment, which I'll give you on Friday (it will also ask you to use Humans of New York, so don't get rid of the book!). 

Here are some ideas from the documentary to consider as you watch:

* Does a child's social class (rich,  poor,  divorced, etc.) determine what kind of adult they become? Do divorced children get divorced? Do poor kids stay poor? Do rich kids become happy? 

* What things seemed to make the kids happy at 7 and 14? Did they change dramatically at 49? Were they the same 'kids'?

* Why do you think so many of the people interviewed have the same challenges and troubles in their 30's and 40's? Why, especially, does marriage become problematic at this age?

* Why are so many of them reinventing themselves or trying new things in their 40's? And why does one of them, Jackie (the second interview we watched on Monday) want to go back to school and basically, "do my entire education over again?"

* What do many of the people interviewed seem to think has been lost over the past 30 years? How has society changed the most for them? What do they miss in the England from their past? 

* All the kids had kids of their own by their 30's, and most had more than one. Do you think this is typical of people today? Or was it more expected of people born in the 1950's (as they were)?

* What differences do you see between people growing up in England as compared to America (or elsewhere)? Can we relate to their ups and downs? 

* Why does it seem like their children often have it harder than they did? Why might fewer of their kids becomes as successful as independent as they are?

* Why might many of them also be more active and involved parents than their parents were? 

* How do these people seem to define success? Is it the same way we do? Could we call them all successful? Why or why not?

* Do you think a documentary like this gives a fair picture of who these people are and what their lives are like? Why does Jackie (the second interviewer from Monday) get so angry at Michael, the director? What does she accuse him of? 

Paper #1 due Friday by 5pm!

 Remember, even though school is still canceled tomorrow, your Paper #1 is due via e-mail by 5pm (or thereabouts). E-mail it to me at jgrasso@ecok.edu. The paper assignment is below in case you've forgotten to look it over again--be sure to do so before you write it! Also remember the in-class writing from Wednesday's class, which might help you get started! 

Paper #1: Acting Human in Public

INTRO: In Brandon Stanton’s book, Humans of New York, we meet dozens of New Yorkers (and some from out of town) going about their daily business. Some pose for pictures, others wait for loved ones, some give advice, while others are lost in the moment. Yet all of them are in some way relatable, and they all say something about who we are as human beings, in any city, in any country, trying to figure out the greatest question of all: why am I here?

PROMPT: For this assignment, I want you to choose THREE photos that you feel answer the question, “this is what being human means to me.” The photos should be related in some way, and you need to help us see how they’re related in your paper (especially if it’s not obvious). In your paper, you need to use the photos to help us understand how you define the idea of being a ‘human,’ and how these people represent your ideas, emotions, and experience. Think about which pictures moved you, inspired you, surprised you, or made you laugh. Why did you connect with them? What do they say about you and your own journey as a human being?

REQUIREMENTS: Your paper should do all of the following:

• Introduce the book and the author for your reader. Remember, most people probably don’t know what Humans of New York is, or where these pictures come from. (Don’t write to me, in other words).
• Briefly describe each picture so we can see the people you’re talking about, what they’re doing, what they’re saying, etc.
• Quote from some of the pictures: respond to what they say or what Stanton says about them. Cite them according to MLA format (see below).
• Explain why you connect with each image, and how you understand who these people are. Don’t assume your reader sees the same things that you do: show us!
• Be at least 3-4 pages double spaced, though you can do more.

MLA FORMAT: When you quote from a picture in your paper, it should look something like this: Before taking the girl’s photo, Stanton asked her, “Do you mind if I take your photo, just like that?” Her response was simply, “I don’t know” (Stanton).

Also include a WORKS CITED PAGE, which lists the book each photo comes from like so:

Stanton, Brandon. Humans of New York. New York: St. Martins Press, 2013.

NOTE: Paper #1 IS DUE IN TWO WEEKS: FEBRUARY 4^th, BY 5PM (you can drop it in the box on my door, HM 348, or e-mail it to jgrasso@ecok.edu).

 

 

 

 

For Monday: Stanton, Humans of New York (last questions!)

Remember, Paper #1 is due next Friday! Our next two classes will give you some last-minute tips to write that paper. The questions below are designed to help you get 'inside' the paper, so you might use some of it in your final paper. 

Choose ONE image from the book, preferably one you haven't written about yet. Then answer Q1 and ONE other question beneath it: 

Q1: Describe the picture is enough detail that we could reasonably imagine what t looks like. Try to go beyond, "It's a picture of a guy wearing a suit." Tell us what he looks like, what kind of suit, the background, the colors, the time of day, etc. Imagine that your really needed to help someone find this picture in the book.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 

Q2: If the picture has a caption, explain how the caption changes how we see the image, or what we see in the image. Make sure we understand the significance of the caption, especially if it's not immediately apparent. 

Q3: If your picture doesn't have a caption, or only has a very short one, add your own to the image. What do you think this picture should say about itself? How would you want other people to view this picture, and what words could you add to make sure we see that?

Q4: Discuss one small detail in the picture that most people probably won't notice, but that you think is actually important to the image. What does this add to the picture? Why should people notice it? 

For Wednesday: Stanton, Humans of New York

Answer TWO of the following for Wednesday's class: 

Q1: Though primarily a book of portraits, Stanton includes a few longer stories in the book to complement one or two images. Focus on one of these longer stories and explain why you think he gives us the extra information. What does knowing this person's story add to our perception of the "human" behind it? 

Q2: Why do you think Stanton shows so many pictures of people with their dogs and other pets? Are there actually more people in relationships with their pets than other people in NYC, based on these photos? Why might this be significant? 

Q3: What strikes me most about Humans of New York is the portrait it paints of "your" generation (meaning high school and college-aged). Do you think it's an accurate portrait? Do you identify with many of these people and their struggles and desires? What could older people (like me) learn about your generation from this book?

Q4: If you could put one of these images in a time capsule, to be opened up in 50 years, which one would it be? What would you want this image to communicate to future ECU students about our world? 

For Monday: Stanton, Humans of New York

Answer TWO of the following questions by reading through the book and finding the pictures that help you answer them! 

Q1: Find one picture that you feel represents who you are right now. It doesn't have to look like you or even be the same sex/age as you, but how do they somehow embody your own identity at this moment in time? It could be their style, clothing, attitude, or what they're communicating in the caption.

Q2: Find one picture that you feel represents who you most hope to be 10-15 years from now. Again, it can be a different age/sex than you, but what about them seems to represent an identity you hope to attain or realize in the future. Why is this? How might this person underline the connotation of "success" or "happiness" or even "being an adult" for you? 

Q3: A lot of these photos are about people's personal struggles, even if they don't explicitly say what these are. What struggles seem to be the biggest ones for the poeple in the book? Do you feel that most people can relate to this, or is it unique to a certain age or group? 

Q4: Discuss a photo where you think, "that could only happen in New York"! What makes this photo so unique to that city/environment? Why wouldn't we see this here or in our hometown? Why might New York City create the kindn of environment that would showcase the people or situations in this photo? 

BONUS: Who can find the one person who appears in two different photos in this book? As far as I can tell, there's only one. :) 

Paper #1 assignment: "Acting Human in Public" due February 4th

See the due date below...this is NOT due next class period. I want you to spend some time working/thinking about this. We'll do some in-class writings to help you with this paper as well, so don't feel you have to rush on this. Let me know if you have any questions! 

Paper #1: Acting Human in Public

INTRO: In Brandon Stanton’s book, Humans of New York, we meet dozens of New Yorkers (and some from out of town) going about their daily business. Some pose for pictures, others wait for loved ones, some give advice, while others are lost in the moment. Yet all of them are in some way relatable, and they all say something about who we are as human beings, in any city, in any country, trying to figure out the greatest question of all: why am I here?

PROMPT: For this assignment, I want you to choose THREE photos that you feel answer the question, “this is what being human means to me.” The photos should be related in some way, and you need to help us see how they’re related in your paper (especially if it’s not obvious). In your paper, you need to use the photos to help us understand how you define the idea of being a ‘human,’ and how these people represent your ideas, emotions, and experience. Think about which pictures moved you, inspired you, surprised you, or made you laugh. Why did you connect with them? What do they say about you and your own journey as a human being?

REQUIREMENTS: Your paper should do all of the following:

• Introduce the book and the author for your reader. Remember, most people probably don’t know what Humans of New York is, or where these pictures come from. (Don’t write to me, in other words).
• Briefly describe each picture so we can see the people you’re talking about, what they’re doing, what they’re saying, etc.
• Quote from some of the pictures: respond to what they say or what Stanton says about them. Cite them according to MLA format (see below).
• Explain why you connect with each image, and how you understand who these people are. Don’t assume your reader sees the same things that you do: show us!
• Be at least 3-4 pages double spaced, though you can do more.

MLA FORMAT: When you quote from a picture in your paper, it should look something like this: Before taking the girl’s photo, Stanton asked her, “Do you mind if I take your photo, just like that?” Her response was simply, “I don’t know” (Stanton).

Also include a WORKS CITED PAGE, which lists the book each photo comes from like so:

Stanton, Brandon. Humans of New York. New York: St. Martins Press, 2013.

NOTE: Paper #1 IS DUE IN TWO WEEKS: FEBRUARY 4^th, BY 5PM (you can drop it in the box on my door, HM 348, or e-mail it to jgrasso@ecok.edu).

For Friday: Writing Workshop #2 (see below)

 There is no reading or questions for Friday: instead, we're going to do in-class writing that will lead to your Paper #1 assignment, which I will hand out in class. If you don't have the book and haven't done the questions yet, this is a great opportunity to catch up! The last set of questions are in the post BELOW this one.

Let me know if you have any questions, and as always let me know if you get sick or have any other problems. 

For Wednesday: Stanton, Humans of New York

For your first reading assignment, there are no set number of pages to read from the book. Just flip around and read casually, and don't try to read every page. Look for pictures that interest you and stories that surprise you. We'll read more in-depth later, but for now, just flip around...

Then answer TWO of the questions below:

Q1: As you flip around, which pictures immediately grab you? Why? Is it because of the person's style? Their expression? The way the photograph is taken? Or the words that accompany the image?

Q2: What seems to most interest Stanton as a photographer or as a fellow human? What kinds of people is he most drawn to, or what aspect of people does he like to focus on? Give an example from the book.

Q3: If you didn't know anything about New York, what impression might you walk away with after reading many of these pictures and captions? What might Stanton want you to think about the "humans" of New York?

Q4: Many of the pictures have captions that the subjects revealed to him as he took the photograph. Which caption most changes the picture for you? How did it help you see a different person than you initially saw? 

Welcome to the Course!

 Welcome to the class website for our Freshman Composition II course: this will be used instead of Blackboard, though you won't have to post or submit anything to this site. Instead, I'll post all our daily readings and work here, along with paper assignments and other announcements. Be sure to bookmark it so you can find it when you need it! 

Be sure to buy the 3 books for class as soon as possible, though the ECU bookstore has a delay in getting the first two books (they should be here by Thursday or Friday). The books are:

Required Texts:

• Stanton, Humans
• Schmeid, Edward Hopper: Portraits of America
• Capote, In Cold Blood

We'll be reading Humans first, starting this Friday, but if the bookstore doesn't have it in by Thursday don't worry about it. Just get it as soon as you can, and I'll keep checking the bookstore to let you know when it's arrived.

Please e-mail me with any questions or concerns, especially if you have to miss class or quarantine for the required number of days. See you in class!