Short Writing Assignments


Short Writing 1
Due: August 28

With a little Internet searching, read up on slave narratives. In your own words, define slave narrative.  What larger genre would it fall under? What problems or complexities do slave narratives present as a genre? What function can or do they play in narrating women's history?

Short Writing 2
Due: September 4

What point does Alvarez make about women's history? How is she working within the collective memory / history framework that we discussed on the first day of class? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages about learning about history through novels?  What are some of the pitfalls of the genre of "historical fiction"?

Short Writing 3
Due: September 11

Clearly, land loss is one of the primary topics that Erdrich addresses that could fall into the category of human rights violations. Are there others in the novel that Erdrich draws attention to?

Short Writing 4
Due: September 18

How is Trujillo’s reign characterized by language and silence? Choose either language or silence and discuss its appearance in the novel.

Short Writing 5
Due: September 25

Compare and contrast the way Alvarez and Danticat write about Trujillo's dictatorship. How do they address the past? How do they deal with the subject of memory or remembering? How do nation and class affect they way they remember his dictatorship?

Short Writing 6
Due: October 2

There are several photographs that appear in the first chapters of Kogawa's Obasan.  Why does Kogawa repeatedly return to photographs in the narrative? Consider also how these photographs play a role in the themes that she is beginning to develop about silence and memory.

Short Writing 7
Due: October 9

This week in class, we are going to discuss Obasan as a "scrapbook novel." First, write a brief paragraph giving your own definition of what a scrapbook novel is and how Obasan fits into your definition. Then, spend some time on the Internet collecting a few elements to include in your "scrapbook Short Writing." You may want to look for poems, photographs, news articles, reminiscences, interviews, or quotations relating to the internment to print out and include with this week's Short Writing.

Short Writing 8
Due: October 16

How does Martínez portray the Sanctuary movement in the novel? Most Sanctuary workers were white, middle-class women. Why does Martinez make her two main Sanctuary workers Chicanas?

Short Writing 9
Due: October 23

Margaret Atwood has said that The Handmaid's Tale is only a slight twist on today's world. What resonances or parallels can you find with contemporary US society? What is her point in drawing from these kinds of parallels?

Short Writing 10
Due: October 30, 2007

Look up testimonio on Google. After reading over a few defintions, create a brief definition of testimonio as a genre. I, Rigoberta Menchú is often framed as exemplifying the genre. Give several examples from the text that demonstrate how her books fits in the genre of testimonio. How is the book different from memoir or autobiography? Whose story is she telling?

Short Writing 11
Due: November 6, 2007 (T)

How does the genre of the graphic novel affect these literary elements: 1) chracterization; 2) plot; and 3) theme? Address each of these literary elements in your Short Writing.

Short Writing 12
Due: November 27, 2007 (T)

How do both Glancy and Parks address the American past? How do they use the drama genre to address history?
 
Short Writing 13
Due: November 27, 2007 (T)

Why has Castillo written two plays about Sister Dianna? Do they tell the same story in different ways or different stories? How does Castillo, who is primarily known as a novelist, use drama to accomplish what she wants to accomplish?

Short Writing 14
Due: December 4, 2007 (T)

How are you thinking about collective memory and human rights differently than you were at the beginning of the semester? Which work was most effective for you? Which was your favorite?