Free Screening of Persepolis Tonight

There will be a free screening of Persepolis in the Sculpture Park in Astoria tonight. If you can't make it to the film tonight, you might want to check out the link to see if you'd be interested in the other films in the series. They are all free, and the Sculpture Park is an interesting and uniqe space that is worth checking out.

Here's the link:Free Film Series in Astoria

Thanks to Fatin for the tip!

The Lesson

Why does Bambara tell the story through an unreliable narrator?

An unreliable narrator disrupts the trust relationship between the reader and the text. The reader cannot fully trust the events in the text because they are presented to the reader through the perception of a flawed, fallible narrator. Think Huck Finn, Catcher in the Rye, etc. Why would Bambara use this literary device for this story?

Final Thoughts on Persepolis

Unfortunately, we just scratched the surface with our discussion on Persepolis. Please post your final thoughts about the book. I'd especially like to know if you think I should teach the book in the future. Why or why not?

Sample Papers in MLA format

As you begin your rough draft, you may want to consult these two sample papers for any questions that you have about format and structure.

Sample Papers

Marjane Satrapi

Check out this short interview with Marjane Satrapi.

Tralala

This may help with your understanding of "Tralala." Remember, Selby is interested in exploring "the horrors of a loveless world." He is looking at humans at their lowest, humans stripped of any capacity for higher thought, humans incapable of (or unwilling to) express deep emotions.

In my opinion, the text asks more questions than it answers which may be why it seems to have no purpose. Here are a few of the questions that came to me as I read the text. Feel free to answer them and post on the blog for extra credit. I'll give you a one time offer of ten extra credit points (instead of the usual five) if you post something about "Tralala" this weekend.

Are Tralala's actions dictated by her environment? How much agency does she have over her life?
How much free will does anybody have? Does free will exist within parameters? Do those parameters differ based on external factors (time, place, class, race, gender)?
Are certain people who are more prone to Tralala's fate? Why do some people that grow up in circumstances like Tralala "get out" while others get sucked in deeper?
Can a human become pure animal? What makes that transition happen?
How and why does a conscience become hardened over time?

Interview with Hubert Selby

Here is a short interview with Hubert Selby. In it, he talks about his life and about the setting for "Tralala" and his other stories in Last Exit to Brooklyn.

Interview with Selby

News Articles

Here are a few interesting articles. Respond for extra credit!

A New Frontier for Title IX: Science

ACLU responds to Flint Crackdown on Pants

Schedule Changes

Class will be canceled on Thursday, June 26th & Thursday, July 3rd.

Because the library is not open during our class time and we need to use it, we will be rescheduling these two class sessions. You must attend one of the library workshop sessions. If you cannot attend one, you must make arrangements to meet with me independently in order to get credit for this portion of the research project.

Possible Meetings (I couldn't get a classroom for Tuesday July 1st)

Monday, June 30th 9:00-10:00
Tuesday July 2nd 9:15-10:15

The meetings will take place in the library in Room 383.

For Monday, June 16th

For Monday, please read "Cutting Edge" by James Purdy and "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker. "Everyday Use" is not in the packet. I have attached a link to an etext of the story. Please print it out if you can. I'll also bring a few copies to class too.

Everyday Use Link

Questions to Think About While Reading "Cutting Edge" & "Everyday Use"

Why is the beard such a big deal?
Why do you think the son shaves the beard?
How does the son in "Cutting Edge" compare with Hulga from "Good Country People"?
How does the son in "Cutting Edge" compare with the oldest daughter in "Everyday Use?

Current Events

Here are two interesting articles about higher education.

Student Loans Start to Bypass 2 Year Colleges

Fulbright Scholarships Taken Away and then Restored to Students in Gaza