Thursday evening, Sept. 18th--7:45 pm

Greetings,

Just a quick note...

Only 48 students, out of my 93 English 20 students, checked the blog on Monday.
In that blog entry, I reminded students to bring their Rules of Thumb text to class on Wednesday. This was meant as a huge not-so-subtle hint that there would be a quiz on the assigned reading from that text. :)

As the syllabus states, we can never cover everything that is assigned to be read or viewed--that is nearly impossible in any course. Yet, each assignment is given because it contains important information, whether or not you are "tested" on it or not.

The reason I am posting this blog entry is to remind you to stay current.

As veteran students, those who do not yet have Rules of Thumb, for whatever reason, should know by now, that you need to communicate with the instructor in this kind of situation, or use your class contact sheet.

Monday, September 15, 2014--7:15 pm

Greetings,

Attention! I just noticed an error on the way I numbered the Reading Packets on the syllabus. I have you reading Packet 3 next week, and then again in Week 5. I have now correctly numbered the packets on the syllabus posted on the blog. Please make a note of this. :)

Below you will find the following:

1.  The assignment for out of class essay #1, distributed in class today.
2.  Packet 3 assignment, due on Monday, Sept. 22

Also!
A few reminders...

1.  remember to bring your copy of Rules of Thumb to class on Wednesday.
2.  remember to bring your notes from viewing the speech by David Foster Wallace (Packet 2) on Wednesday.
3.  remember to bring your copy of the Sacramento State Writing Handbook to class on Friday.
***********************

READING PACKET #3 ASSIGNMENT:

(We will be looking at the health care issue in America, perhaps from several different points of view you may not have considered. Health care is definitely an issue that is evident in season one of  Breaking Bad.)

1.  "Cardiologist Speaks from the Heart about America's Medical System"

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/08/19/341632184/cardiologist-speaks-from-the-heart-about-americas-medical-system

(please note: this is an audio item that is 27 minutes, 27 seconds in length. I highly suggest that you listen to the presentation as well as read the transcript)

2.  "Why Does Health Care Cost so Much?:

http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/healthcare/art2809.html?getPage=1

(Please note: this article is three pages in length.)

3. "Abraham Verghese:  A Doctor's Touch"

http://www.ted.com/talks/abraham_verghese_a_doctor_s_touch

******************

English 20, Sections 3, 6, & 8

Fall, 2014

Catherine Fraga, Instructor

Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible—

VOICES AGAINST CONFORMITY

• Assigned: Monday, Sept. 15

• Rough Draft Due (OPTIONAL), typed & double spaced, no later than Friday, Sept. 26—please e-mail me draft as a Word document no later than 5 pm on the 26^th.

• Final Draft Due:  Friday, October 3. Typed & double spaced.

If you submitted a rough draft, please attach it to the back of the final draft when submitting.

****************************************************************************

Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.

The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.

For this essay, you will research and write about one person who is/was considered a non-conformist by many in his/her field of interest. Consider the possibility that the person deemed a non-conformist may not, in your opinion, actually BE a non-conformist. So your essay could support or disprove the label given by the majority of society.

This topic allows for a wealth of flexibility and choice.

Your focus will be on a person working in an area (and time period in history) that you are most interested in: photography; art; literature; sports; politics; film; computers; music; fashion; science; mathematics; education; or ???

To get a better idea of some possibilities, and for purpose of illustration, let’s look at some examples of topics within in the time period of the 1950s in America.

Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.

Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.

Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others)

Likewise, many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others)

Also, according to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”

Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc)

No matter what non conformist you select to research, your essay must contain the following:

·       your working definition of a non-conformist (in order to frame and set up your argument) Please do not use a dictionary definition.

·       a brief history of the country’s mood during this time period;

·       background and details about the non-conformist you will focus on, in particular, those that help support your premise;

·       how his/her work challenged the status quo;

·       the impact of his/her work on others in the same field and on society;

·       and the repercussions and influence felt today or what you predict WILL be the repercussions in the future.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will “prove” the person’s influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

Things to Consider:

This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music, fashion, etc. of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, or listen to the work or material at great length.

Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period——why and how a person’s work was considered non conformist—and how their work influenced those living then…and now.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many visual artists at this time, particularly Jackson Pollack, successfully combated the blissful charade by using innovative methods and themes in his work.

A BRIEF LIST OF TOPIC SUGGESTIONS:

Mahatma Ghandi                                    George Carlin

Martin Luther King, Jr.                                    John Cassavetes

Eminem                                                Yves St. Laurent

Georgia O’Keefe                                    Abby Hoffman

Galileo Galilei                                                John Lennon

Emma Goldman                                    David Mamet

Janis Joplin                                                Jim Morrison

Johnny Cash                                                Ralph Nader

Steve Jobs                                                Joan of Arc

Nelson Mandela                                    Che Guevara

Karl Marx                                                Bill Gates

Dr. Jack Kevorkian                                    James Dean

Quentin Crisp                                                Henry David Thoreau

Ayn Rand                                                Elvis Presley

Carl Jung                                               

Carl Sagan

Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

Second posting for Sunday, Sept. 14th--7:10 pm

Greetings, again,

for those who are interested in viewing the transcript of the speech assigned for Packet 2, below is the link to the text of the speech. I am sure some of you have already located the text, but just in case you have not.

http://faculty.winthrop.edu/martinme/Thisiswater.htm

Sunday, September 14th, 2014--4:45 pm

Greetings,
I just noticed that I failed to indicate on the syllabus what DAY pages 63-100 were due to be read in Rules of Thumb this week. They are due on Wednesday, along with Reading Packet #2.
See you tomorrow!

Monday, September 8th, 2014--12:06 am

Greetings,

below you will find the assignment for Reading Packet #2. This packet is actually a video to watch. However, you may find it helpful to access the actual script of the speech. That can be found easily by googling the title of the speech.

READING PACKET # 2 ASSIGNMENT:

"This is Water"--a college commencement speech by David Foster Wallace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI

Friday, September 5, 2014--7 pm

Hello,

There are a few very minor errors on the syllabus. I have made the adjustments on the copy posted on the blog. For your own information, please note the following:

1. Week Three. It indicates for you to read pages 63-100 in Rules of Thumb. However, I failed to note what day that is due to be read. It is due on Monday of week three.

2. Week Seven. It indicates that in class essay #1 is to be on Friday of this week. That is incorrect. It will take place on Monday.

Also! You will find below a copy of the handout distributed today in class: Viewer's Journal Assignment.

English 20, Fall 2014, C. Fraga

Viewer’s Journal Assignment  (character study journal)

Learning Outcome:  If one is able to write an in-depth character analysis, one will be able to write ANY kind of analysis.

Observing character and determining/analyzing why someone acts, thinks, speaks, reacts, feels, and responds the way one does is both intriguing and also the most challenging of tasks.

For your Out of Class Essay #3, you will be writing a very in-depth analysis of ONE of the main characters from Breaking Bad, Season 1.

You will select one of the following characters: HANK; MARIE; WALTER, SR.; WALTER, JR.; JESSE; or SKYLAR

(This is NOT the official assignment for the essay. You will receive that on the day indicated on the syllabus.)

However, when you do eventually submit Out of Class Essay #3, you will ALSO be submitting a Viewer’s Journal as well. If you do not submit the Journal, 20 points will be deducted from your score on the essay.

What is a Viewer’s Journal?

Simply, as you watch each episode of Breaking Bad, Season 1, you will jot down notes. There are no specific guidelines for WHAT you will write.

Record what you believe is significant or may end up being significant. Some of your entries might read a lot like a recap of the episode. That is fine.

As you view each episode, begin to think about what character you would like to focus on for essay 3. Throughout your viewing, more than one character may intrigue you, so you may be jotting down observations and details about more than one character.

This journal is strictly for YOU and for your use and reference when planning and preparing to write essay 3. I will not be reading through them. There is no requirement for length or content. These notes can be typed or handwritten or be barely readable. Obviously, though, they should be at least readable to YOU. J

When you submit essay 3, you will attach these journal entries to the back of the essay.

It must be clear to me that you have SEVEN distinct entries, one for each episode. Each entry must be titled by the name of the episode.

Example:

Episode 2: “Cat’s in the Bag”

As you view each episode, and observe the main characters, here are some questions to guide your note taking.

• What does this character do (and not do) and why?

• What do others think about your character? And how do you know?

• What motivates your character to do what he/she does?

• What influences this character to do what he/she does?

• What was your first impression of this character and does it change as you view new episodes? Why or why not? In which ways?

• What are this character’s goals, dreams, desires, needs? How do you know?

• Do you like this character? Why or why not?

• Is this character a believable one, a genuine one? Why or why not?

Second posting for--Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Hello,

Below you will find the assignment for Reading Packet #1, due to be read by Wed.  Sept. 10th.  Please note the Packet contains two items--an article and a TED Talk video for you view.
It is your choice: you can print out a hard copy of the article and the transcript from the video and bring them to class. Or you can bring an electronic device to class and access the assignments that way. In any case, you need to come to class prepared to discuss the Packet.

READING PACKET #1 ASSIGNMENT:

"Sweet land of...Conformity?"
By Claude Fischer
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/06/sweet_land_of_conformity/

AND....

"A. J. Jacobs' Year of Living Biblically"
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/a_j_jacobs_year_of_living_biblically.html