Due Wednesday, December 12th - Beloved Three Narratives Essay

Overview:  Toni Morrison has created a duality in Beloved, as at once the daughter Sethe murdered out of love, and as a former slave who lost her mother on a slave ship and endured life with vicious slave owner.  Why did she do this?  How does it create meaning?  Before we move onto the last section of the novel, I would like you to explore this further.

Directions:  Using the two narratives from Beloved (as well as any textural evidence you find helpful), compose a 2-3 page literary analysis using the following questions as a guiding outline for your essay:  How does Morrison create a duality with the character Beloved?  What evidence do you see in the two narratives that create this meaning?  What would be the point of creating this duality?  What will it mean for the rest of the novel?  Please use the following prompt.  Post your essay to this blog space AND on Turnitin.com. 

Inequality for All

Overview: In his documentary, Inequality for All Robert Reich addresses the issue of inequality from the economic viewpoint and explains how it impacts all Americans, whose collective view of the class system is heavily influenced by our shared history. Remember that slavery also impacted the nation's economy. Further, Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 saw an alliance between indentured servants and Africans (most enslaved until death or freed), united by their bond-servitude, which disturbed the ruling class, who responded by hardening the racial caste of slavery in an attempt to divide the two races from subsequent united uprisings with the passage of the Virginia Slave Codes of 1705.  Through this documentary, you will see connections among the work of Baldwin, Morrison, as well as the documentaries I Am Not Your Negro and The 13th.

Directions:  Today, we will begin watching Inequality for All.  While you watch, please take notes.  Be aware that you will be held accountable for this material later in the writing process.

Visit the webiste:

http://inequalityforall.com/

View this brief explanation about the economic structure in America, which is similar to Reich's. 

Due Wednesday, November 28th - "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, Pages 181-235

Overview: As we discussed, Toni Morrison employs stream of consciousness in her novel to show how our memories trigger emotions that impact our present and, consequentially, our future.

Directions: In past blog responses, I provided you with a bullet point list of moments, tracing the stream of conscious of the characters from the third person narrator. For your post, please provide your own list of moments with page numbers, as I have done in the past. You may use my past lists as a guide for formatting. Also, provide a brief paragraph at the bottom to describe your analysis, reasoning, and any questions you have for our class discussion.

Angela Davis and Toni Morrison

"If Beale Street Could Talk" by James Baldwin

Overview:  Browsing at the local bookstore in Reading, Whitelam Books, I stumbled across a short novel by James Baldwin with a movie promo cover called If Beale Street Could Talk. I cannot put it down.  It is a beautiful book, and there is something serendipitous about my finding and experiencing this book with what we have been reading, viewing, and discussing in class.  I feel like the book found me.  Below is a link to purchase the book and get information, along with the theatrical trailer for the film, directed by Barry Jenkins, the Oscar winning director of Moonlight.  I opens in December.  Please see me if you would like more information.  I will be holding a book club during H-block.

Book information:

https://www.amazon.com/If-Beale-Street-Could-Talk/dp/0307275930


Theatrical Trailer:

House and Senate

Overview:  Many of you asked for some background on the House and Senate.  Here is a great informational video on what the House and Senate are and how it works.  Enjoy.

"An Open Letter to My Sister, Miss Angela Davis" by James Baldwin

Overview:  I thought you would like this piece written by Baldwin during the case against Angela Davis.  Below is a picture of her on Newsweek, which Baldwin references in the letter.  Click the link below to read Baldwin's letter.  Sadly, as you read the letter you will see that it applies now.


"One way of gauging a nation’s health, or of discerning what it really considers to be its interests—or to what extent it can be considered as a nation as distinguished from a coalition of special interests—is to examine those people it elects to represent or protect it. One glance at the American leaders (or figure-heads) conveys that America is on the edge of absolute chaos, and also suggests the future to which American interests, if not the bulk of the American people, appear willing to consign the blacks. (Indeed, one look at our past conveys that.) It is clear that for the bulk of our (nominal) countrymen, we are all expendable."

James Baldwin, 1970

About Angela Davis:

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/angela-davis

"Open Letter to My Sister, Miss Angela Davis" by James Badwin:

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1971/01/07/an-open-letter-to-my-sister-miss-angela-davis/

Due Tuesday, November 13th - Who am I?

Part I: Freewriting

Either in a series of bullet points or freewriting, explore the following as they pertain to you:

• “Nature” – Ethnicity, Race, Gender, Sexuality, Personality
• Institutional – Nationality, Religion, Profession
• Discourse – Environmentalist, Feminist, Libertarian, Marxist, Vegan
• Affinity – Scouts, Teenager, Goth

Part II: Journal Reflection

In a personal journal or Google Doc: Once you have compiled a comprehensive list, write about the experiences you have had with each. Do not hold back. Some will offer more passionate responses than others will. Some may upset you. Some may even surprise you.

This will be part of an on-going exploration as we examine the narrative that is our lives. We are all protagonists, characters narrating our existences through our first person point of view. Remember, there is a third person narrator - dual narrative if you will - telling the story of us. Let your voice be the true war story.


Part III: Blog Discussion

In this blog space: Post ONE section that you feel comfortable sharing with the class in a blog response. Read your classmates’ responses, and please respond directly to at least one student in which you share an experience and one where you learned something new.